


Broken and Burning

by PotatoSlayer



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 00:43:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 79
Words: 141,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18510451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PotatoSlayer/pseuds/PotatoSlayer





	1. Home

A girl stumbled down the side walk in the rain, falling against the wall.  She held the box tightly in her grasp as she collapsed to her knees.  The mewing from inside only grew louder.  

The girl was very small, almost child-looking sized.  She had little to no chest and very boy-cut choppy, messy, short red-black hair.  Except for the thick eyelashes, all of her features seemed very boyish and not very attractive.  Her clothes didn’t help for they were always loose and ratted, giving what little curves she had no attention.  Despite her very child-like appearance, she was going on eighteen years old.

She set the box down and opened it up, shielding the little animals inside from the pouring rain.  “Are you guys okay?”  She asked the two sickly looking kittens.  She had found them starving on the street many months before and had shared a little bit of her food with them.  Once she did, they seemed to latch on like ducklings and followed her anywhere she went.   She’d decided to take care of them, the little she could, as she was barely able to feed herself.  With having so little food, their fur coats were hard to grow out, so when cool weather came with the rain, she always took the chance on them getting sick.  “Icil, keep Pyro warm, he’s shivering…”  She scooted the larger white cat closer to the tiny black one.

The girl sighed and leaned her head back on the wet concrete wall.  “I need to find some food for you guys…where are we even at?”  She started looking around for a sign or something.

“You’re in Namimori.”

The girl gasped and looked up at a guy she hadn’t seen standing there a moment ago.  He had short black hair that fell in his face and what looked li ke a permanent scowl on his lips .  He had a black jacket on with an armband that had ‘Discipline’ written on it.

She sighed again.  “So…middle of nowhere…”  She rubbed her face.  “I’m never going to get back home…”

The guy started forward.  “You’re on Namimori High private property.   Trespassing …is against the rules.  Leave now, or I will bite you to death.”  Out of nowhere, he whipped out two tonfas and prepared himself to attack.

The girl jumped up and put herself between the guy and the box with the kittens.  “I can’t leave.  It’s pouring rain and I have to take care of these two.  But if you have to beat me up, then so be it!”

The guy paused and drank her in with his eyes.  Then they went to the small mewing box.  “Kittens?”  He walked up and forcefully shoved her aside before kneeling to the box.

Fear prickled her skin.  Everything about this guy screamed hostile.  She grabbed the back of his jacket.  “Stay away from them!”  She screeched.

As soon as she started to pull him back, he whipped his elbow around and hit her right in the nose.  She gasped and stumbled back.  He glared at her with his cold, hard eyes.  “I’m not going to hurt them.  Why do you care so much about two little animals anyway?”

“That’s none of your business.”  The girl snapped, holding her nose against the throbbing pain that made tears prick her eyes.  To her surprise, she saw him gently stroke their little fuzzy drenched bodies.  She paused and cautiously went closer.  “I found them in my old town.  They were strays.  They followed me and now I just can’t let myself let them go.”

The guy growled and pushed box towards her.  “Then why don’t you take them home and out of the rain before they get sick?”

The girl looked down, shifting her weight from foot to foot.  “Well…you see…I don’t…”

The guy sighed.  “You’ve got to be kidding…”  He picked up the box and started walking, causing the stirred kittens to scream louder.

“Hey!  What are you doing?”  She followed after him.

He said nothing but continued to carry them down the street, using his jacket to protect them from the pouring rain.  He stopped at a small dorm building.  Walking in, he handed a girl behind the counter – much prettier than her – some cash before walking on down the hall.

She shouted a number, but the guy kept walking.  Finally he stopped at a door and opened it up, sliding the box of kittens inside.  He stepped back and looked at the girl. She paused, confused.  He grumbled, “Well, are you going to go in or not?”

“Wh-what?” She stuttered.

“I can’t have you loitering on Namimori High grounds.  This is only to keep you from tainting my school .”  He crossed his arms as he stood with his back holding the door open.  “Hurry up, I don’t have all day to wait on you.”

She flustered, going into the little room.  She looked around, seeing the tiny living room/kitchen and then the little bedroom with the tiny bathroom attached.  “It’s nice…thanks.”  She turned.  “Oh, um, what’s your name?”

She hit the light switch, smiling a little bit when the lights flickered on.  “Whoa…”

“I’m – “  The guy stopped before he got to his name.  She blinked, seeing his gaze go down her body.  She blushed at how the rain had made her clothes cling to her body.  “You’re a girl?”

He looked back up at her face and this time, she knew exactly what he was seeing.  The scars, scratches, and other very un-feminine things about her.  “Yes…”  She looked away, embarrassment causing her face to heat up more.   “My name is Seiko Himoru…”

The guy sighed.  “I’m Hibari Kyoya.  I’m guessing you probably don’t have money for food either.”

“I only get crumbs and stuff for them…”  Seiko explained, helping the kittens out of the box.  She set them down and stroked their backs before standing up.  She turned towards the door to tell Hibari something, but he was already gone, the door still in the process of swinging shut.

  She leaned back on the little couch and grinned when she felt little kittens climbing up her legs and then her arms.  They nuzzled either side of her head and she giggled a bit.

After an hour or so, she had nearly passed out on the couch when she heard the door swing open and slam against the wall.  She jumped, spilling Pyro and Icil right off her back.  Hibari all but threw down a box of catfood and other supplies on the ground.  “Let anything happen to those kittens, and I will come back and bite you to death.”

Seiko felt a tremor down her back under the force of his lethal gaze.  “What do you take me for, an animal abuser?”

“You better pray for your safety that you’re not.”  Hibari snarled before turning back towards the door.  As soon as he wasn’t looking, Seiko picked up one of the mini bags of cat food and threw it at him.  She watched it explode on the back of his head.

“I don’t need someone like you demeaning me.  They’re fine so far, aren’t they?”  Seiko snarled viciously.

Hibari growled, but his eyes took Seiko in again.  It was the first time he really noticed that she was the one that looked like she wasn’t eating compared to the little plump fuzzballs.  He took a moment to note the fiery look in her eyes.  He dug into his pocket and pulled out a few bills.  He tossed them to her, not at all surprised when she just let it hit the floor.  “Feed yourself.  You look disgusting and it’s impossible to even think of you as a girl looking like that.”

Seiko gasped.  “Why you – “

Hibari shut the door behind him and was gone.

Seiko, despite the fury rising in her belly, calmed herself.  Despite his rude attitude, he had just done more for her than anyone had in years.  And he was a complete stranger.  She carefully picked up the money and went to the lobby of the dorm building and got a couple protein bars out of the snack machine and saved the rest for a meal for later.

She went back upstairs and pulled out the box and litter for the kittens while setting them up with cat food and anything else.  She couldn’t help but giggle when she found a few cat toys at the bottom and tossed them out.  Pyro dove for it first but a jealous Icil  tackled him away from the toy.

Seiko watched them for a  few minutes before she climbed onto the couch.  She could have gone into the little bed room, but she wanted to watch TV for a little while and fall asleep to the thought of not being alone.

When the two kittens had passed out and were curled up on her chest, she leaned her head back and looked up at the stars.  The rain had stopped and the clouds moved out, giving way for a perfect and beautiful night.  She closed her eyes and welcomed the idea of a just as beautiful morning.


	2. Protector

If Seiko could have slept all day, she would have, but she knew better.  The things she had told the stranger yesterday were both true and untrue, she knew.   She was homeless and lost, but Namimori wasn’t unfamiliar to her.

She was supposed to start that school soon…

Softly, Seiko stroked the two kittens and kissed their soft round foreheads.  “I have to go, guys.”

Pyro and Icil mewed loudly up at her.

Seiko went into her room and pulled on the uniform she had been given the week before.  It had been in her bag in the box she’d kept the kittens in.  Her uniform and basic toiletries was all she had.

What would the first day be like?

She looked at herself in the mirror.  Seiko hated what she looked like.  Just like a boy with a skirt on.  It made her look awkward.  The only thing that gave her any feminine touch was her eye lashes and the two black strands of clip in extensions she got for herself a long time ago when she had money.

Walking to school, she was caught off guard by a loud yelling.  A boy with brown spikey hair  went running as fast as can be down the road while screaming.

Seiko blinked in surprise.  Before she could even think twice, she was touched on the arm.  Over her shoulder stood a beautiful girl.  She had long black hair, vivid green eyes and a luscious smile that had proved to get any guy she had ever wanted.

This was Seiko’s only family she was in contact with.  This was her older sister.  They showed no basic traits, it was often said that they had the same angular face.  It would be impossible to tell at this point because Seiko had too many scars to even be able to tell what her original shape was.

“Ready to go, Seiko?”  She asked.

Seiko nodded.  Honestly, she wasn’t ready in the least bit.   Her sister smirked and strutted on by her.  She had wide hips and a heavy chest, also very opposite of what Seiko was like.

“Are all of my classes with you, Cressa?” Seiko asked, trotting to keep up behind her.

Cressa flicked her hand.  “Most of them.  You’ll have to skip the ones that aren’t either way.”

Seiko looked down.  “You couldn’t handle yourself for just one class?”

“I’m sure I can, but it’s still your job.” Cressa snapped, heading on by the school’s fence.

Seiko sighed and took a moment to grumble about being too much of a pain.  While she stood there, that brown haired boy came running again.  He stopped in front of a girl wearing only his boxers.  He asked her out right there in front of everyone.

She screamed and ran away.

He dropped to his knees.

What a weirdo.  Did he think she’d say yes?

But as he sat there, he looked really upset.  Maybe he was just one of those kids that didn’t know much about social etiquette?  She started for him when another person walked up to him.

He wore the standard uniform with a familiar head of black hair.  She recognized Hibari from the previous night.  He glared at the boy on the ground.  “Showing up on campus in only your boxers is against Namimori High policy.”

The small boy looked genuinely afraid.  “S-sorry Hibari-san.  I’ll get my uniform on right away.”

The bell rang and Hibari glared more.  “And you’re late.  You’re lucky I don’t bite you right now.”

He turned away, but when he did, he looked right at Seiko.

Seiko stiffened and watched him.  He glared at her as well.  “You’re tardy as well.  And on your first day.  What a poor first impression.”

Seiko looked at the armband and saw that it read “Discipline”.  So he was a member of the discipline committee.  Seiko smirked.  “I wouldn’t have been late had there not been such a commotion.   If this school were in more order, it wouldn’t be so difficult.”

Hibari’s eyes narrowed.  “Do you want to die?”

Seiko uncrossed her arms and straightened her posture.  “I’ll fight you if that’s what you mean.”

Hibari scoffed.  “Don’t be ridiculous.  You’re a girl, I won’t fight you in front of my own school.  Get to class.”

Seiko grumbled, watching after him as he walked through the doors.  She kneeled to the brown haired boy.  “Are you okay?”  Seiko asked softly.

The boy shook his head.  “No I’m not okay!  Everyone in this school probably thinks I’m a pervert now!”

Seiko frowned a bit.  “Yeah, kinda.”

He slumped and sighed.  “I’m still No-good Tsuna…”

Seiko sat on her legs.  “Is that your name?  Tsuna?”

Tsuna nodded.  “Yes, that’s me.”

Seiko patted his back.  “Come on, let’s go to school.  It’ll get better, you’ll see.”

In class, of course, everyone was already teasing Tsuna about his adventure in his boxers.   In an effort to distract him from the teasing, Seiko asked, “Hey Tsuna, I have a question.”

“Hm?”  He grumbled with his face pressed to the desk.

“That guy, Hibari – “

Tsuna’s head shot up and he gasped, “What about him!?”

Seiko withdrew at Tsuna’s tone.  “I was wondering what kind of guy he was.”

“He’s the head prefect: dangerous and mean.  The further away from him you are, the better off you are.”  Tsuna explained.  He paused.  “So did you just transfer here?”

Seiko nodded.  “I did.”

Tsuna frowned.  “Then how rude of me, I don’t pay much attention to school.  My name is Sawada Tsunayoushi.  It’s nice to meet you.”

“Seiko Himoru.”  She responded, giving him a pleasant smile.  At the front of the class, she kept glancing at her sister who was already pushing her desk up against another guy and putting moves on him.

Seiko puffed her cheek out and sighed, leaning her cheek on her hand.  Her job was to protect Cressa from just that kind of thing, but it was so hard when she opened herself up to it.  Whatever, it looked like she’d be fine.

Gym class was just depressing to watch.  Every time the ball was tossed Tsuna’s way, he drop it, get hit by it, or just plain miss it.  Seiko tried to cheer him on, but there was only so much she could do.

“What a pathetic kid.”  Cressa growled from beside Seiko.  Seiko glared at her sister, but didn’t say anything.   She wasn’t allowed to say anything that would offend her.  Heaven forbid.

When Seiko looked back, she saw Tsuna running out the door.  She sighed.  So he was one of those kinds of boys.  A coward.  How sad.

Cressa let out a squeak which made Seiko turn quickly.  A boy was pushing up on her.  From the look on both of their faces, he was making an unwanted advance.  Seiko pushed herself between and put her hands up.  “Excuse me.  I’m going to have to ask you to keep your hands off of Cressa.”

The boy’s eyes narrowed.  “Excuse you.  What are you, one of those Trans-genders?  Yuck and those hideous scars all over your body.”

Cressa flipped her hair behind Seiko.  “She may not be anything to look at, but she’s the best guard in the world, so watch yourself, you horny pervert.”

The guy winked at Cressa.  “Then you shouldn’t wear such tight-ass clothing.”  He went to reach for her chest but Seiko caught his wrist.

Seiko’s expression was cold as she whispered darkly.  “I will give you to the count of three to step away from my sister.”

“Sister?”  The guy laughed.  “Guess she took all of the good genes, huh?”  He started to move in on Cressa again but Seiko quickly twisted his arm around pushed him to his knees.  “What the hell you little bitch!?”  He  glared at his friends.  “Teach  this little punk-ass He-She it’s place!”

The other boys all cracked their knuckles and closed in.  Seiko kept her body between them and Cressa.  Cressa’s eyes narrowed.  “You couldn’t have taken care of this more subtlety so that we didn’t cause a scene?”  She scoffed, “I better not break a freaking nail over this.”

“Just get back.”  Seiko ordered.

As soon as Cressa took a step away, all of the guys charged at them.  Seiko blocked the first guy easily and spun him around head-first into another guy.  The next one tried to punch her but she ducked to the side, dropped to one knee and tripped him.   She then flipped and landed a kick between the shoulder blades of another.

Within a few minutes she had all of them groaning on the ground at her feet.  Seiko wiped some of the sweat off her brow.  “Bunch of loser-jerks.”

Cressa was messing with her nails when she said, “Took you long enough.”

Seiko’s eyes narrowed.  “They had a point, you could wear less-skimpy clothes.”

Cressa’s vivid eyes narrowed on her younger sister.  “Did I ask your opinion?  No.  Now clean yourself up, you’re disgusting and I don’t want to be seen with you looking like that.”

Seiko rolled her eyes.  “Whatever.”


	3. Something to Prove

The second to last class, Seiko heard rumors about their being a fight in the gym right after school.  She didn’t care about it until she heard that it involved Tsuna.  Curiosity sparked her interest and made her stay after to watch.

At the front doors, Cressa found her.  “There you are.  I could have been mugged down the hall.”

“You have a loud voice, you could have screamed.”  Seiko snapped.

“What if they had a gun?”  Cressa demanded.

“Well, I’ve been shot before.  So I’m sure you’ll be fine.”  Seiko informed bitterly.

“You’re a selfish bitch.”  She looked at the crowd of students going to the gym.  “What’s going on?”

“A fight between a couple boys.  I was curious, I think I’m going to stay and watch.”

Cressa gasped and snarled.  “Then what am I supposed to do, wait on you?”

“Do you really think I’d walk you home?”  Seiko snapped.  “You won’t offer me a place to stay or share any money so I see no reason to go out of my way for you.”

Cressa stomped her foot.  “If I get hurt, it’s on your shoulders, you know!”  She then crossed her arms.  “But fine, I’ll wait for you because I’m that nice of a person.  I will be right by these front doors, understand?”

“Yes ma’am.”  Seiko rolled her eyes and made her way to the gym.  She weaved through the people and found a place beside the bleacher to stand.  After about ten minutes, Mochida, Tsuna’s opponent was still standing there, but Tsuna was nowhere to be found.   Seiko frowned.  “The poor guy probably ran home.  No one in their sane mind would come here and embarrass themselves.”

“So you fight a lot?”

Seiko looked over as Hibari leaned on the wall next to her.  Her eyes narrowed.  “What do you mean?”

“I heard you fought the boys in your gym class, and now you’re here to watch another fight.”  He commented with cross arms and never looked at her.

“Do you always listen to every rumor you hear?”

“No, I saw the account.  You fought them in defense of a sister you don’t even like.”

Seiko gritted her teeth.  “That’s none of your business.”

“I know.  I have no intention of caring at all about your life.”  He finally looked at her with a glare.  “But this is my school and I can’t allow you to disturb it with senseless fighting.”  He smirked.  “That’s my job.”

“You think it was senseless?” Seiko snapped.  She looked over just in time to see Tsuna walk through the door.  She gasped.  “I’ll be damned, he really showed up.”

Hibari frowned.  “Strange.  He’s usually a coward.  An herbivore that prefers to run from fights.”

Seiko smirked.  “Well, it looks like he’s either crazy, got guts, or has something to prove.”  She leaned back on the wall with a grin.

“Speaking of crazy, how are those kittens?”  Hibari asked.

Seiko looked at him with one eye, the other closed.  “That’s the only reason you’re talking to me, isn’t it?  Have a weak spot for small animals?”

His lips pursed imperceptibly and he went very quiet.  Seiko laughed out loud.  “I like it.  Tough guy act.”  She then smiled softly.  “They’re fine.  They were all cozied up on the couch when I left.  With full bellies and a shelter over their heads.”  She barely glanced at him.  “Thanks to you.  I don’t know how I can  repay you .”

“Don’t mention it.  Seriously.”  He glared at her.  “If you ever say anything about it to anyone, I will bite you to death, girl or not.”

“Oh really?”  Seiko glared, her eyes returning his challenge.  However, she was distracted when all of a sudden Tsuna shot back up and took charge of the match.

Seiko glanced back at Hibari with a smirk.  “I really hope you’re not trying to intimidate me, cause it doesn’t work.”

Hibari glared at her.  “Oh yeah?”

Seiko laughed harder.  “Yeah.  It’s hard to think you’re some crazy mean guy after the way you melted for those kittens.”

Hibari looked away.  “You’re taking the whole thing way out of context.”

“How so?”  Seiko challenged.  “Don’t tell me that you did it for me.”

He gritted his teeth and refused to speak to her any longer.

Seiko enjoyed the rest of the match, watching Tsuna rip the guy’s hair out.  He was certainly a creative one.  She glanced at her watch and sighed as everyone started clearing out.  She still needed to go get Cressa and take her home.  She pushed off the wall and squeezed through the crowd, out of the gym.

Just on the outside of the parking lot, a group moved out of the shadows and surrounded her.  She recognized most of them from class, but this time they were armed with crowbars and bats.  She didn’t budge.  “Really boys?  Ganging up on a girl?  An unarmed girl?  With weapons?  You’re pathetic.”

They all snickered.  “We can’t have you going around telling everyone you beat us up.”

“I’m not interested in girl gossip.”

“Is that cause you’re  not a girl? ”  

They all started laughing.

She gritted her teeth.  Low blow.  But she wasn’t about to show them just how sensitive the subject was.  She knew that she wasn’t feminine or good looking.  She knew that she’d probably never find a person to look past her tomboyish nature and love her.  She wanted to say that she didn’t care, but it did bother her.

And that’s what she thought about when she beat the shit out of guys.

She coolly ordered.  “Alright.  Come at me.  I’ll knock you all senseless.”

As soon as they started to advance, another voice broke the evening air.

“Fighting on school property is still against Namimori High policy.”

Seiko winced.  She was beginning to loathe the sound of that voice.  The guys all glared as Hibari walked up behind her, spinning tonfas around his hands.  “If you want to fight, you’ll have to take it up with the discipline committee.”

Seiko glared at him and shouted, “Back off!  This is my fight!”

Hibari grabbed her and pulled her back behind his tonfa.  “Don’t argue and be a good little girl and run home.  It’ll be a problem if those kittens starve because you didn’t make it there to feed them.”

Seiko paused.  His logic was stretched thin.  Was he really that worried about the kittens?

All of the guys backed up a step.  The apparent leader stuttered, “Forget it. We didn’t realize she was in with the discipline committee.  Let’s get out of here, guys!”

As the guys ran off, Seiko’s face heated up and she looked down.  “You didn’t need to do that, I was doing just fine.”

“If you fight, you’ll have to be punished.”  Hibari informed off handedly.  “Now go home.”

Seiko gritted her teeth and looped back around towards the front door of the school.  He glared at her back.  “Where are you going?”

“I have to take Cressa back home.  She’s waiting.”

“Why go so far for someone you hate?  It seems like a bother.  If you were weak, I’d understand.  But you’re not – “

“You wouldn’t understand!”  Seiko snapped.  “Just leave me alone.”

He did.

Seiko found Cressa right where she said she’d be, leaning on the front door.  She stood up straight and glared at her.  “What took so damn long!?”

“There was an issue after the match.”  Seiko started until Cressa raised her hand and said she didn’t care.  Seiko sighed.  “Of course, let’s get you home.”

After escorting Cressa to her front door, Seiko stumbled her way back home.  She was starting to feel hungry and all she had was one protein bar left.  She needed to get a job…one that actually paid.  But there was no way she could balance a job and Cressa.

She stopped abruptly when she saw a person standing outside the door to her apartment.  Her eyes narrowed.  “Really?”

Hibari didn’t say anything.  He watched her.

“What do you want from me!?”  She shouted.

“Cressa is your sister.  Why don’t you live with her?”

Seiko’s expression darkened and she lowered her head so her eyes couldn’t be seen through her bangs.  “Why would a person as beautiful as her want to be seen with someone as hideous as me?  She only acknowledges my existence for her purpose.  I’m her guard and nothing else.  I live and die in order to fight.”

“Oh really?”  Hibari questioned.  “But you deny that existence?”

“What?” Seiko accidentally lifted her head, letting the pathetic tears show.

Hibari pointed to the door.  “You’ve been living for those kittens, too.”

Seiko wiped her eyes and smirked.  “That’s all you see is those kittens, huh?”  She sniffled and laughed.  “I guess I’m just invisible to everyone.”  She unlocked the door and opened it.  “Come on in, I know you’re dying to pet them.”

Sure enough, Hibari came in and spent a few moments petting the little bundles and fed them before leaving without a word.

Invisible to everything…

Both of the kittens fell asleep at the door, waiting for his return.

Seiko suppressed the threatening tears.  Even the kittens knew who could really take care of them.


	4. Matches

Seiko left early and jumped when she heard her name called.  She wasn’t used to it.  She looked over to see Tsuna trot up to her.  “Hey, I didn’t know you lived down this street.”

“Uh, just moved in yesterday, actually.”  Seiko explained weakly.

“Oh.  Mind if we walk to school together?  I know it’s kind of awkward, but – “

Seiko waved her hand.  “No, I’d enjoy it, thank you.”

His face brightened.  “Awesome.”

As they walked, Seiko mentioned.  “Your match yesterday was pretty awesome.”

He blushed.  “You saw that?  I’m so embarrassing.”

“The boxer thing is definitely unique.” Seiko laughed.

On their way to school, Cressa joined up with them just before passing through the gate onto Namimori property.  Guarding the gate, Hibari stood, glaring at them as usual.  But, she was probably imagining it, there might have been something more to his gaze.

In class, for the first time, Cressa sat right next to her.  Seiko frowned.  “What do you want?”

Cressa all but purred when she said, “We have a new transfer student and he is totally hot.  When he walks by to his seat, say something good about me, okay?”

Seiko rolled her eyes.  “I’m your body guard, not your freaking dating instructor.  Do it yourself.”

“It’ll sound conceited if I say it myself!”  Cressa shouted.

“But you  _ are _  conceited.”

“Shut up.”

The whole class looked up when a good looking boy with silver hair walked in.  Instantly all of the girls fawned but Seiko sighed.  “Oh really.”

“How are you not completely attracted to that?”  Cressa demanded.

The teacher introduced the boy as Hayato Gokudera.  Seiko fiddled with her pencil.  “I’m not interested in that kind of stuff.”

Cressa’s eyes narrowed.  “Wow.  Are you sure you’re not really a guy?”

Seiko nearly grabbed her throat, but was stopped when a desk flipped.  Tsuna fell out and gasped.  “What was that for!?”

Seiko stood, feeling something defensive kick in for the poor kid.  Seiko glared at  Gokudera.  “Hey, you bastard! ”

Tsuna raised his hands.  “Thanks Seiko, but don’t worry, it’s okay.  I’m not hurt.”

Seiko blinked.  “But…”

Gokudera walked on by without another word.

Seiko took her seat while Cressa shivered.  “A bad boy.  Mmm.  I’m gonna make him mine.”

She rolled her eyes.  Cressa was such a whore.

At the end of the school day, Cressa wiggled her fingers at Seiko.  “So, that new kid is playing in the volleyball game so I’m going to stay and watch it.”

“Ah.  So was I.  To cheer Tsuna on.”  Seiko stated.

Cressa made a face at the little boy at his desk.  “That loser?  Whatever, later.”

Seiko waited while ano ther boy by the name of Yamamoto  shook Tsuna awake and took him to the gym for the game.

Sure enough, Tsuna, Gokudera, and Yamamoto were all waiting to play the game.  At the edge of the lines were some discipline committee members were wiping down the floor, Hibari stood next to an instructor.  She walked up in time to hear him order the instructor to  do  his job.

Seiko blinked.  A student ordering teachers?

Hibari looked back at her and smirked.  “You enjoy these things, don’t you?”

Seiko glared at him.  “I could say the same about you.”

He walked over to her, away from the net.  “As the head prefect, it’s my job to supervise these.”

Seiko smirked.  “Don’t lie.  You enjoy a good match as much as I do.”

Both of them leaned back on the wall and watched the game.  Half way through, Tsuna had been doing so bad that everyone was quiet.  But out of nowhere, he started playing well and everyone went back to cheering for him.

Hibari commented quietly, “What a strange herbivore.”

Seiko snickered.  “Sometimes the little ones will surprise you.”

He glanced at her, but didn’t say anything else.

After the match, Tsuna’s team ended up winning.  She raced off to congratulate Tsuna but found him face to face with the new guy: Gokudera.

Out of nowhere, he started throwing bombs at him.  Seiko gasped as charged to his side.  “Stop, what are you doing!?”

Tsuna gasped.  “No!  Seiko-chan!  Get out of here!”

When Gokudera threw more bombs, all of a sudden, Tsuna’s clothes ripped off and he shouted about using his ‘dying will’.  Then suddenly he was putting out all the bombs and even saved Gokudera’s life.

Yamamoto walked up that moment and saw it.  “Hey, what game are we playing?”

Seiko shook her head as Gokudera fell to his knees and thanked Tsuna over and over for his kindness.

Seiko smirked.  “What a weird group.”

She stuck around to hear the explanation about Tsuna being the next generation boss and Gokudera wanting to be his right-hand man.

Seiko started to say something when an irritating voice called out.  Cressa was waving her hand.  “Hey you!  Oh- Oh Gokudera-kun!  Great match!  I was cheering for you the whole time!”

Seiko grabbed her arm.  “Want to go home, come on!”

Cressa pulled back.  “Forget it.  I want to hang out with him.  Go home yourself, you coward-ass.”

Seiko gritted her teeth and turned.  “Fine!”  She marched off, leaving Cressa to flirt her way into Gokudera’s pants.

She threw open her door and tossed her bag on the floor.  She jumped when she saw Hibari sitting on the floor, petting the smallest black kitten – Pyro.  She sighed.  “Don’t even bother waiting for an invitation anymore?”

“I don’t see why I should, I’m paying for this place.”  He commented, not even looking up from the kitten.

Seiko looked away.  “Don’t wave it over my head like that.”  She un did her neck ribbon  and went to her bedroom to change out of her uniform.  She came back out in sweats and a tank top.  “While you’re here, want something to eat?”

He didn’t respond.  She was thankful.  She didn’t have anything  to  eat except cat food.  Her stomach growled.  She started to tell him that he needed to leave so she could fix her own dinner when she saw more money sitting on the counter.  

She glared at him.  “Is this a joke?”  She snapped.

He rubbed Pyro’s belly before setting him down to pick up and pet Icil.

“Don’t ignore me!  I don’t need you to baby me!”

Hibari looked up at her sharply.  “Then prove it.”

Seiko looked away, cheeks flushed.  “Besides…the cats still have food, I don’t need anymore money…yet.”

“And what are you eating?  Cat food doesn’t have protein.”

Seiko gasped.  “I am not eating cat food!”

Hibari went back to ignoring her and playing with Icil.

Seiko sighed and dropped onto the couch.  “Fine.  Do whatever you want.”  She rolled onto her side and fell asleep only a moment later.

She was woken up much later in the evening when a little kitten pounced on her face.  She swatted Pyro away and sat up.  “Little turd.”  When she lifted to her elbows, she realized there was a blanket over her.  She blinked and looked over to see a bag of food on the table.  From the smell, it was Chinese take-out.

Looking around, she saw that Hibari was gone.  She stared at the food.

Was he making fun of her?

She sat down and pulled the food out.  It didn’t feel like it.  Honestly, it felt like…he was trying hard to…not show that he was actually considerate.

They say that animals have better instincts when it comes to good and bad.  If he’s such a jerk, but Pyro and Icil adore him, then maybe…

…he wasn’t as bad as the rumors suggested.

Either way, her growling stomach agreed with the kittens for the time being.


	5. Leona Muir

Seiko was sitting in class, staring out the window by the time Gokudera had even bothered showing up for class.  It had been about a week since he started tagging along with Tsuna and she’d learn about his participation with the mafia.  She was skeptical, but there wasn’t any other way of explaining the baby that had shown up with him.

The teacher was handing back tests and her grade happened to not be much better than Tsuna’s.  Honestly, she wanted to learn and get a good education, but her duty guarding Cressa was too much of a hassle for her to study in her free time.  Speaking of, Cressa had chosen not to come to school today.

Guess that means, technically, Seiko didn’t need to come either.

When class let out, the three of them walked down the hall, chatting.  Gokudera kept trying to address Tsuna as the 10 th  gen boss, but he denied it over and over.

Halfway down the hall to their class, however, all of the students started back towards the edge of the hall way.  A sense of doom filled the atmosphere.  “What’s going on?”  Seiko asked.

Tsuna trembled and shot to the wall.  “Oh no!  It’s, it’s Hibari-san…”

Gokudera walked over to him.  “Boss?  What’s wrong?”

Seiko looked ahead.  Just like Tsuna said, through the splitting crowd, the Disciplinary committee walked – with Hibari in the lead.   Seiko didn’t say anything, but their glares locked.  There wasn’t a single day that he hadn’t shown up at her apartment to check that she wasn’t abusing the kittens.  It got on her nerves that he didn’t trust her, but she supposed that if he was putting out the money for them, he should have the right to make sure the money was going to the right thing.

Still, a little trust would be appreciated.

Hibari stopped right in front of her as though he expected her to get out of the way.  The rest of the committee stopped as well.  He just kept glaring at her.

Seiko tightened her hold on the books against her chest.  “What?  Want me to get out of the way as well?”

He smirked, but his eyes went over to Tsuna and Gokudera.  “Why are you hanging out with such weak herbivores?”

Seiko’s teeth gritted and she reached up, grabbing his chin and turning his head back to face her.  “Hello.  They’re not your problem, I am.”

Everyone in the group surrounding them gasped and started whispering.  Was Hibari really such a big deal to them?  Honestly, he didn’t intimidate her at all.  But he was glaring with even more intensity now.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away.  “Come with me.”

Seiko gasped as he dragged her down the hall, away from her class room.  She tugged, but couldn’t get free.  “Hey, I’m going to be late.”

“Like you care.” Hibari commented, pulling her around the corner down another hall.

Seiko’s eyes narrowed.  “Watch it!  You don’t know me!”

Hibari opened a door on the left and pushed her in.  He ordered the other members to watch the door and make sure no one came in.

After scanning the room with the couch and a lounge-like feel, she glared at Hibari.  “What are you up to?”

He casually sat down.  “I’m just getting answers.”

“What answers?” Seiko demanded, not making any move towards the couch.

“Why do you come to school?”

Seiko stiffened.  “I…”

His eyes narrowed.  “Why is it so important that you protect your sister when she treats you so terribly?”

Seiko sighed and dropped onto the back of the couch, letting her head droop.  “I’m not a good person.  I have no good qualities, I’m not attractive, my personality is terrible.  To put it simply, I’m a failure as a human.  I know and understand this.”  Seiko commented.  “My sister received everything.  She’s beautiful and smart.  The only good thing I’ve ever been able to do is throw myself in the way of danger for her.”  Her hands tightened into fists.  “We learned early on that that was the only thing I was ever going to be any good at.  I could take a punch.  So I did.  I don’t fight because I enjoy it, or that I think it’s the right thing.  I fight because it’s the only thing I can do.”  Seiko sighed again.  “So I come to school, I endure her harassment, I let myself get beaten up, all so that I can feel some reason to live.  So I can become stronger.”

She couldn’t look over her shoulder and see his face.  “But I’m sure it wasn’t a sob story you were looking for.”

“You really can’t find a better reason to live than that worthless trash?” Hibari challenged.  He got off the couch and walked over to the coffee pot.  He held up an extra mug.  “Want one?”

She hesitated.  “Have any cream?”

He nodded, pulling a container out of the cabinet.  “It sounds like you rely too much on her.”

Seiko blinked, listening to him while she mixed up a cup of coffee.  “Eventually, she’ll abandon you and you’re going to be left without a purpose.  What would you do then?  Stop wasting time and do what you really want to do.”

She stared at her coffee cup.  “May I tell you what that is?”

“I don’t honestly care, but go ahead.”

Seiko sighed a nd  took a small sip of coffee.  “I would like to be able to do well in school…cause I want to study different cultures and travel the world.  But in order to do that, I need to go to college.”

“Then you’re definitely headed down the wrong path.”

“I know.”  Seiko sighed and set on the arm of the couch while Hibari set on the other side and pulled out a book.

“That’s all I wanted to know, you can leave.”

“Why did you care?”  Seiko asked.

“I didn’t.  I was going to tell you to go home and take care of those kittens if you didn’t give me a good enough answer.”

Seiko’s eye twitched.  “Why do you care so much about those darn cats!  They’re mine, not yours!  I can take care of them!”

He didn’t say anything, just started reading.

Seiko caught her breath and sighed.  “Sorry.  I guess that’s rude.  You’ve really helped me out a lot.  So…thank you, instead.”

He didn’t say anything back so Seiko set the cup down and took her leave.

Seiko was going to head to her next class when she heard a sound from the opposite hall way.  It was hard to explain, but it sounded like something thrown against the lockers.  Peeking around, she saw a group of thug guys moving in on some girl.  She had long white hair and tear-stained blue eyes.  She was trying to get away from them, but they were making perverted jokes and pushing her around.

Seiko’s teeth gritted hard.  “Those sick bastards.  How many does Namimori have!?”

She rushed down the hall quickly.  “Get away from her!”  She screamed, throwing a full foot into the first guy’s back and sending him flying down the hall.  In the same movement, she spun around and caught another by the neck and threw him right down into the ground.  Not even five minutes later, they were all running and screaming.

The girl who’d been getting attacked let out a loud, happy breath.  “Oh, thank you so much!”  She threw her arms around Seiko and hugged her tight.  “You’re the nicest boy I’ve ever met, no one’s ever done that for me before…!”

Seiko’s face turned cherry red.  “Um…actually…”

The girl backed up and she gasped.  “Oh my gosh!  I didn’t recognize you Seiko.  I thought…”  She covered her face.  “I can’t believe I just called you a guy…oh my gosh…”

Seiko rubbed the back of her head.  “It’s…okay.  Cause uh…if we’ve met before, I don’t know your name…”

The girl shook her head and waved her hands.  “Oh, no no.  I haven’t ever seen you with my own eyes before.  I’ve only heard the rumors about you.”

“Rumors?”

“Yeah, that you defend that one girl no matter what.  She skipped school today.  Cressa Himoru, right?”

Seiko looked down.  “Yeah.  That’s me…and her.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.  Just a lot on my mind.”

The girl held out her hand.  “Oh!  My name is Leona Muir.”

Seiko shook her hand.  “Nice to meet you, Leona.”

Leona waved her hand as she started walking backwards down the hall.  “You should probably get to class or the head of the discipline committee is going to come after you!”  She sang, trotting away.

Seiko smiled awkwardly.  If she only knew…

He was the reason she was late.


	6. Flustered

The next day in class, Cressa caused a big scene.

The teacher had been busy bad-mouthing Gokudera for being friends with trash (Tsuna) that Cressa felt it necessary to shout at him.

“That’s completely rude!  You can’t just assume someone is something because of who he hangs out with.  Who knows, maybe it was actually out of sympathy that Gokudera became friends with that loser!  It certainly doesn’t make him one too.”  She put a hand on her hip.  “And if you want to argue and punish anyone…”  She spun and pointed directly at Seiko.  “You can take it up with my body guard!  Seiko Himura!”

Seiko’s jaw fell open.  “You’re joking right?  Just throw me under the fucking bus, why don’t you?”

“That’s your job as my body guard!”  She winked and dropped back in her seat.

The teacher chuckled.  “Well now, I can’t punish a person who hasn’t said a word to the teacher, but if you’re that eager to join them, then Tsuna, Gokudera, and Cressa, you can all follow me to the office.

Seiko stood outside the office for half an hour waiting on them.

After that time, another person walked by.  Big surprise, it was Hibari.  His eyes narrowed on her.  “Skipping class, Himura?”

Seiko kept her arms crossed and didn’t even look at him.  “No.  For your information, Cressa acted out in class.  She’s in the process of being expelled.”

Hibari paused.  “So then, you won’t be attending the school anymore?”

She looked up at him finally.  She heard something…different in his voice.  She surveyed his face, looking for a crack in his expression to give away whatever it was.  When she found nothing, she cautiously said.  “No.  I was serious about what I said.  I want to do well in school so I can go to college and one day travel.”

He scoffed.  “That makes you sound like less of a herbivore.”

Seiko glared at him and pushed off the wal l.  “Don’t talk like that to me!   Herbivore, really?  I’m a human being, not some kind of animal you – “

She gasped when he grabbed her neck ribbon and pulled her closer.  Her face erupted in a red flush and she stiffened.  But he simply resituated the tie and straightened it out.  He re-buttoned her collar and then pushed her back a step away.  “Your first step to acting like a student is keeping your uniform on correctly.”

He walked on by her.  But she watched him walk away.  Her heart was racing a million miles an hour.  Her fingers found the skin on her neck where his had just been.  What was this weird feeling all of a sudden?

The door to the office opened up and Seiko jumped.

Cressa growled.  “I can’t believe they have the nerve!”  Cressa walked around in front of Seiko.  “Can you believe that those assholes want me to dig up some kind of capsule so I won’t be suspended? ”

“Um…well…”

“What’s with you?  Your face is all red.”

Seiko gasped.  “Shut up!”

Cressa smirked.  “Was there a boy here just a minute ago?”  She rolled her eyes.  “Whatever, don’t care.  So, you’re going to dig up that capsule for me, okay?”

“I’m a body guard, not an errand girl.”

“No, you’re an errand boy.”

Seiko’s teeth gritted.  She turned away.  “I hate you.”

Gokudera put a hand on her shoulder.  “Don’t worry, we’ll get it for you so you don’t have to do anything.”

Cressa’s eyes sparkled.  “You’re so sweet!”

They headed outside, but Tsuna stopped beside her.  “Are you okay, Seiko-chan?  You seem flustered.”

“Flustered?”

“Yeah, like something is bothering you.”

Seiko looked down.  “I just…something weird is happening to me.  I’m feeling some emotion I’ve never felt before.”

“Oh?”  Tsuna asked, excited at getting a chance to possibly help.  “When did you first start feeling it?”

“When – “ Seiko paused, remembering how close he had been when he fixed her tie and she turned her face away.  “Nevermind.  It’s nothing.”

Tsuna frowned.  “Oh…well if you change your mind and want to talk…”

Seiko nodded and went back inside, watching their adventure on the playground from behind the window.

“Seiko-chan?”

Seiko looked over and her heart raced when she saw the black jacket, but then realized that it was another of the discipline committee.  “Oh, can I help you?”

“Were you expecting someone else?”

“No.”  Seiko went back to staring out the window.  “Did you need something?”

“I wanted to ask you something.”

“Okay.”  

He walked over and leaned on the window sill next to her.   “I wanted to know…about your relationship with Hibari-san.”

Seiko felt her face heat up and she avoided all eye contact.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You see, Hibari don’t take an interest in anyone.”  The guy went on to explain.  “And I mean that seriously.  He doesn’t even care about the rest of the committee.  We’re expendable to him.”   Seiko didn’t respond.  The guy sighed.  “But he’s taken a very active interest with you.  Compared to his usual self…he’s kind of obsessed.”

Seiko shook her head.  “I couldn’t tell you why.  I don’t even know him all that well.  He’s just been helping me out a lot recently.”

“What?”  The guy gasped.

Seiko rested her chin on her arms.  “I got stuck out in the storm.  I don’t live with my sister and I was looking for a place to stay.  He found me.  Got a place for me to stay and some stuff to take care of the kittens with.  Since then, he scolds me for anything that doesn’t benefit the kittens.  He’s obsessed with those cats, not me.”

“Oh?”  The guy laughed.  “I think he’s using it as an excuse.”  He looked up to the sky that was filling up with smoke from Gokudera’s dynamite.  “He doesn’t get along with people.  So for him to go out of his way to run into you…or do things for you…”  He chuckled.  “It sounds to me like he’s finally found someone he likes.”

Seiko’s face grew more red.  “Do you really think so?”  Seiko asked, eyes wide with awe.

“I do.”  The guy informed.  He held his hand out to her.  “My name is Kuskabee, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you.”  Seiko responded, feeling a smile creep up.

“If you ever need anything, don’t be afraid to ask.”

Seiko nodded and after he walked away, she saw a commotion on the playground.  Apparently Gokudera and Tsuna had found some old scores for a certain teacher.

In the end, the teacher was fired for fraudulent educational experience and the three of them were let off the hook.  Cressa stretched and walked up to Seiko.  “That’s it, take me home.”

“Yes ma’am.”

By the time Seiko got home, she was wiped out.  She tossed her jacket on the kitchen table and dropped onto the couch.  The mewling in the living room was compensated by her growling stomach.  She mumbled to herself, “I’ll…eat later…”

ﻯﻯﻯﻯﻯ

Hibari opened the door and took off his shoes.  He was surprised to see Seiko laying on the couch, the two kittens balled up on her chest and stomach.  He looked in the kitchen and saw their empty bowls.  “She forgot to feed you before she fell asleep…”

He shrugged and walked into the living room, sitting down in front of the couch.  “Hungry?”  He asked Pyro, holding out a treat.

Pyro looked at it, mewed before stretching, and then snatched it out of Hibari’s hand and loped off.  Icil took off after him.  He sighed and looked back at Seiko who was fast asleep.

He got back up and filled up the bowls with food and water.  He was going to leave when he looked back at her one last time.  She had a bad habit of falling asleep with out  a blanket.

If she got sick, she wouldn’t be able to take care of the cats.  

That’s what he told himself as he tossed the blanket over her.

She shifted and he thought she might have been waking up, but she simply rolled over went limp again.

He caught himself about to smile, but resisted it.  After checking her fridge, he saw that there was still no food in there.  He glared at her.  What was she doing with all that money he was giving her?

He decided to confront her about it another time.


	7. Done in for Good

Seiko finished pulling on her school uniform.

It was Friday, finally.

Yanking on her shoes, she left the apartment – after double checking the kittens’ food and water.  Hibari would have her neck if she forgot about them.

Halfway to the school, as usual, Tsuna caught up with her.  He smiled, “So are you excited for the weekend?”

Seiko shrugged.  “I don’t really have a reason to be, other than it’s two days away from Cressa.”

Tsuna frowned.  “Why don’t the two of you get along?  I mean…well, why does she treat you so poorly?”

Seiko looked down.  “Family issues.”

Tsuna didn’t ask anymore.  He respected her privacy and faced forward while they walked.  A small baby, however, showed up and stood in front of them.  He looked at Seiko and asked, in all seriousness, “You should join Tsuna’s family then.”

Tsuna gasped.  “Reborn!”

Seiko waved her hands.  “No way, that would be so awkward for poor Tsuna.”

“But you want a new family, don’t you?”  Reborn asked.

Seiko’s expression fell.  Reborn jumped on Tsuna’s shoulder and said, “Think about it for a few days.”

At the gate to the school, they passed Hibari and the discipline committee.  While Hibari glared at them, Kuskabee waved.  “Good morning Seiko-chan.”

Seiko blushed and nodded.  “Good morning to you, too.”

Hibari shot a glare back at Kuskabee.  Why?  Did he not want them talking?  Or did he suspect what Kuskabee told her yesterday.  She stiffened.  Oh yeah.  He had mentioned that Hibari had taken a liking to her.  That was insane…

…right?

Gym was outside today.  Seiko was kind of glad cause it was a pretty nice day.  A blazing sun and gentle breeze.  They were dividing up teams for baseball and Seiko had been picked early on.  Probably because everyone thought she was a guy and looked tough.

Poor Tsuna was last and the teams were arguing about who  _ had _  to take him.

Seiko touched the team captain’s shoulder.  “Take Tsuna on our team.  If he’s that bad, I’ll take responsibility, okay?  I’ll cover for him.”

The guy glared.  “I don’t know…”

Another boy laughed and walked up.  “Oh why not?  Maybe the girl can cover him.”

The team captain did a double take.  “You’re a girl!?”

Seiko’s face turned crimson and she stomped her foot while the guy waved Tsuna over.  “Yes! I am a girl, dammit!”

Everyone turned when another person walked up.  “What’s the problem over here?”

Seiko recognized Hibari and glared back at him while the team captain started to stutter, “O-oh uh, nothing, Hibari-san.  We haven’t cause any trouble today.”

Tsuna was frozen solid, afraid to come any closer.

The guy who had defended Seiko pointed to Tsuna.  “We were just quarreling over which team Tsuna would be on.  Seiko-chan here suggested that if we took Tsuna, she could cover for his weaknesses.”

Hibari glared at Seiko.  “It’s not your job to cover for an herbivore.”

Seiko clenched her hands into fists.  “Quit talking like you’re so superior!  It just makes you sound like a jerk!”

Everyone gasped and jumped back like she’d just cursed god and was about to be smited.  Hibari just stared at her in awe.

Suddenly a couple people pulled her back away from Hibari, exclaiming that she hadn’t meant to say it.

Tsuna was even shaking and said, “Oh my gosh, Hibari-san will kill her.”

Hibari straightened up and turned to Tsuna.  “Make sure you pull your own weight in the game, weakling.”

Seiko watched Hibari stormed off.  Noting that he hadn’t called Tsuna a herbivore that time.”

Once they had all gotten to their positions and Seiko was ready to cover Tsuna, she noticed that in the bleachers, the discipline committee was sitting, watching out.  Did this class cause a lot of trouble?  

Again, Kuskabee’s words came back.  She shook her head free.

No.

The game was a disaster.  No matter how hard she tried to cover Tsuna, she couldn’t pick up his mistakes while holding her own position.

The whole baseball team started screaming at them for causing them to lose.  The guy that had defended her earlier, as Seiko had come to learn his name as Yamamoto, tried to dull their anger, but they threw the brooms at them and ordered them to clean up on their own.

They stormed off, but it wasn’t a moment later that the Discipline committee walked up, but without Hibari who was still standing in the bleachers.

Kusukabee held a hand out.  “We’ve been asked to clean for you and to tell you three to go home.”

Seiko blinked.  “But why?  This has nothing to do with you guys.”

Kuskabee gave her a knowing smile and Seiko glanced at Hibari.

Tsuna stared in awe.  “How unusually kind of Hibari-san…”

Yamamoto cheered, “Yeah!  I knew he was a great guy!”

Tsuna grinned at Seiko.  “Hey, wanna head home together, Seiko-chan?”

Seiko waved her hand.  “Thanks, but um…I need to grab something.  I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”

“Sure, bye!”  Tsuna waved as he and Yamamoto took off.

Once they were gone, Seiko hopped over the fence and to the bleachers.  Hibari just glared at her without moving, arms still crossed.  “What?”

At first, Seiko wasn’t going to say anything.  But finally, she asked.  “So is this for the kittens, too?”

He paused as well.  “I did this so you’d go home and feed them on schedule.  You won’t do that if you stand here and talk to me.”

Seiko’s eyes widened and then narrowed as she turned away.  “Fine.  Sorry.”

She felt his eyes on her back as she stormed away.

ﻯﻯﻯﻯﻯ

Kuskabee walked up to Hibari, a scowl on his face.  Hibari shot a glare right back at him.  “How dare you look at me that way?  What do you want?”

“I think your priorities are a little off.”

Hibari glared more.

“Why won’t you just admit that you’ve actually found someone you get along with?”

“I have no feelings for her.”  Hibari snapped.

Kuskabee crossed his arms.  “Excuse me for talking out of line, but what benefit to the ‘kittens’ was there in jumping to help assist Seiko in that argument?”

It was clear that Hibari didn’t have an answer.  Instead, he asked, “Do you have something important to bother me about, or are you just going to continue to waste my time?”

Kuskabee chuckled.  “I’m done, Hibari-san.”

Seiko was on her way home when she saw a group of guys surrounding some girl.  And unfortunately, she recognized that girl as none other than Cressa.

Her wide eyes turned on Seiko.  “Help me!”  She screamed as a guy pulled out a pocket knife.

Seiko threw her stuff down.  “Oh shit.”  She plowed right into the first guy, sending him tumbling down and put herself between Cressa and the next guy with the knife.  But he had been in the middle of thrusting the knife and it caught her side.  Seiko grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm around so his back was facing her.  She kicked his back hard enough she felt a pop and he withered to the ground.

But another guy grabbed her arm and yanked her away from Seiko.  A third guy caught her face with a punch, making her fall against the guy who’d grabbed her.  She coughed and just barely got her arm up to block another punch.  She used her chance to grab his fist and pull him forward to punch him.  This pulled the guy holding her off balance.  She spun and kicked him.

There were too many.  Another got the back of her head and grabbed her short hair, yanking her right off her feet.  She screamed while Cressa shouted at her for being useless.  Over and over Seiko tried to kick, but she couldn’t reach anything.

One guy punched her in the stomach, causing her breath to leave her body.  She curled up, trying to ease the pain, but a flurry of fists hit her from every side.  After they were done, they threw her limp body back on the ground.  She heard one of them ask Cressa for her money.  She had no choice but to hand it over.

Cressa glared down at Seiko.  “You’re useless.”  She kicked dirt on her and walked away.

Seiko held her aching stomach, but she couldn’t hold in the tears that suddenly started to leak.

She was just a pathetic weakling.


	8. Ruthless Rain

Seiko shifted  when the light hit her face.  She rolled over and gasped when pain shot up her side.  She sat up quickly in reaction, only making it hurt more.  She held her side and felt bandages there.  “What the hell…?”

She looked around to see that she was in the  reception  room of school.  How had she gotten here?

Her eyes widened when she remembered losing that fight on the street.  She gripped her hair.  What was the matter with her?  She shouldn’t have lost that fight!  She was stronger than that!

She jumped when the door opened all of a sudden.  Kuskabee smiled.  “Ah, you’re awake.”

Seiko blinked, staring.  “What…how did I get here?”

Kuskabee smirked.  “That’s a good question.  I wish I could answer that.”

Seiko stared.  “You don’t know?”

Kuskabee shook his head.  “A received a call saying that had business to tend to in here.”

“From…”

“Hibari-san.”

Seiko sighed.  “Where is he?”

“I’m not for sure.  Would you like some hot tea?”  Kuskabee asked.

Seiko looked at the table between the couches and started to get up.  Kuskabee jumped.  “Wait, don’t get up…you’re injured very badly.   If you need something, I’ll get it for you.”

“I need to get back home.  And then I need to find Cressa.”  Seiko argued.

Kuskabee shook his head.  “Stay put.”  He ordered, walking out.

Seiko nearly got up to leave and thought about bolting when the door opened back.  She expected Kuskabee to be back with her drink, but instead it was Hibari.

She froze on the couch.

He set the cup down and then sat on the couch on the other side of the table.  “Want to explain why you were taking a nap in the middle of the street?”

Seiko glared at him.  “Did you see the condition I was in!?  Did it look like I just decided to take a nap!?”

Hibari watched her, sipping from his own drink.  “So you lost a fight?”

Seiko dropped and fell back on the couch, wincing in pain.  She looked away.  “I’m pathetic…”

Hibari shrugged.  “You are.  It’s disappointing that you’d be defeated so easily.”

Seiko protested, “It’s not like that!  I was ganged up on!”

“So?  An herbivore is an herbivore.”  Hibari retorted.   “You said it yourself that you’re pathetic…”

Seiko glared.  What had she been thinking?  A guy like him could never be anything but a cold-hearted jerk.  She jumped up suddenly.  “That’s it!”  She threw her fist right at him.  He was so shocked that he couldn’t react fast enough and when he went to jump away, she got his gut still and both of them, along with the couch fell over backwards.

She landed on top of him and instantly held her side, feeling the pain  swell like a balloon inside of her.

Hibari glared up at her.  “You’re not a very smart herbivore either.”

“Shut up!”

“Why would you attack me while you’re injured?”

“To prove a point!”

“What point?”

“That I’m not weak!”

“So are you trying to prove that to me?”

Seiko froze in response to his words.   She looked away.  “Why would I want to prove  _ anything _  to you?”  She snapped icily.

He just watched her.

Finally, Seiko said, still gripping her side, “ I need to go home.”

“It’s pouring rain outside.”  Hibari told her just as flatly.

Seiko narrowed her eyes and then looked at the blinds covering the windows.  “That doesn’t matter.  I need to leave.”   She started to get up when he grabbed her and pulled her back down again.  She started to make a comment about him keeping her on top of him but decided that wasn’t the time.

“You’ll just make yourself sick running through the rain.”

Seiko tried to get up again.  “That doesn’t matter!  Besides, I thought you were more worried about the kittens anyway.”

He didn’t say anything but every time she tried to pull away, he wouldn’t let go.  She raised her hand.  “Let me go right now!”

“You sound like a child right now.”

Seiko glared at him.  “I’m sick of you making fun of me!”  She went to punch him but he tipped his head out of the way, but he let her go and she jumped up, but gripped her side when it throbbed in pain.  “I will fight you if that’s the only way you’ll let me out!”

Hibari smirked.  “I’ll take you up on that.”

Seiko let go of her side and charged Hibari.  He easily moved out of the way.  She spun and tried to hit him, but he caught her wrist and turned her so she stumbled past him.  “I could fight you with one hand.”

“I’m not weak!”  Seiko shouted angrily.  But the moment she went for him again, he simply kicked her left leg and she crumpled.  But she caught his shirt on the way down and yanked him to the floor.  

She got back up as fast as she could while he hit the ground and headed for the door.  He caught her foot and dragged her back.  “You’re resilient for an herbivore.”

Seiko turned on her back and kicked him.  “I’m not weak!”  She gripped her aching side and charged again.  This time, she made it through the door and down the hall before Hibari tackled her from behind .  She hit the ground and pain shot up her body.

She trembled and tried to get up.

“Are you done?  I don’t lose when it comes to fights.”  Hibari scowled, holding her down at the shoulders.

Seiko gritted her teeth and, ignoring the pain, turned and rammed her elbow into his side.  He loosened just long enough that Seiko got back up and bolted down the stairs.  She made it out the front door as Hibari grabbed her sleeve.  Her momentum caused her to spin around and slam right back into him.

He caught her, but she punched him and tried to take off again.

The rain was pouring now, causing her jacket and shirt to stick to her skin.  The bandage was soaked all the way through and wasn’t helping her injury anymore.  She had almost made it home free when she slipped in the mud and fell flat on her face.

“Are you done embarrassing yourself now?”  Hibari asked, walking up to her.

Seiko pushed herself up and glared at him, the rain hiding the tears on her face.  “Do you just want to fight?  Is that it!?  And prove that you’re stronger?  You just want to make a fool out of me like everyone else!”  Seiko screamed in his face.  “Well ,  let me tell you something !  Strength isn’t all that matters!  I put all of my effort into protecting someone who just left me on the sidewalk to die!”

Hibari paused.  “Cressa was there?”

“Yeah.  That’s right.”  Seiko ran at him and tried to punch him, but he caught her fist.  She glared at him.  “She left me there because I’m ‘weak’!  I’ll prove right now that I’m not!”  She tried to hit him again, but he just got her other fist.  “I’m not weak!”

“Will you stop screaming?”  Hibari growled.  “You’re causing a scene.”

Seiko gritted her teeth. She was not going to cry…She would not cry in front of him, then he’d never let her  live it  down.   “Shut up…”  She growled.  “You’re heartless.”  She trembled, despite trying not to let her sobs show through.

Hibari sighed.  “So you’re weak, but want to be strong, right?”

Seiko didn’t say anything more, just waited for him.

“I can help you.”  He stated, pulling off his jacket and setting it on her shoulders.

Seiko looked up at him with wide eyes.  “What?”

“I’m always looking for a sparring partner anyway.”  Hibari commented, turning her around.  “Now that we’re outside in the rain anyway, let’s get you home.”

“Why are you helping me so much, Hibari-san?”

“I guess I have a weakness for small animals.”  He commented, walking close to her as they rushed back to her apartment.

Once back inside, Seiko laughed.

Hibari glared at her.  “What are you laughing at?”

She grinned.   “No more fighting in the rain, okay?”

Hibari smirked.  “Okay, we’ll take it inside when we fight.”

Seiko  looked at him seriously.  “So…you’re gonna train me?”

Hibari nodded.

“When, where?”

“After school?  Meet me in the reception room.”

Seiko smiled.  “Thank you.”  She trotted over to him and pecked his cheek.  His eyes widened and he recoiled.  She blushed.  “Sorry.”

He rubbed his cheek and grumbled.

Seiko jumped.  “Wait.  Don’t leave in the rain…”

Hibari paused.  “You want me to stay?”

Seiko waved her hands.  “I just hate for you to have to walk home in the rain.  This is technically your place so…”  She looked at the couch.  “I usually sleep on the couch.  Just stay here until tomorrow.  There’s no school so…”

Hibari sighed.  “Fine.”

Seiko’s expression brightened as she grabbed an extra blanket from the closet.


	9. Sparring and Stalking

Seiko let out a yelp when one of the kitten leapt onto her face.  She swatted them away and shouted, “If you jump on me again, I’ll skin you both!”

Icil gave her the saddest face in the world.  Seiko felt like crying.  “I’m sorry, I can’t do it!  Forgive me!”

She heard a scoff and jumped.  Hibari shook his head.  “You’re pathetic.”

Seiko puffed her cheeks after recovering from the shock of remembering she asked him to stay here.   She blushed.  “Good morning Hibari-san.”

He stared at her a moment and then smirked.  “’Morning.”

Her eyes widened a bit.  She hadn’t expected a response.  She climbed up and trotted into the tiny kitchen with him.  “Want me to cook something for you?”

“Go rest.  You’re still injured.”  He ordered, ignoring her question.

Seiko puffed her cheeks and went back to the couch after filling the cats’ food.  After a bit, Hibari set a plate of bacon and eggs on the table.  Seiko’s eyes widened.  She didn’t have that kind of food in the fridge.

Hibari stood and crossed his arms.  “I was wondering.  What’s been happening with the money I gave to you to feed yourself with?”

Seiko looked away with pink cheeks.  “I…was saving it for when you stop giving me money…and I can’t support them myself.”

He glared at her.  “Pathetic.”

Seiko gaped.  “How is that pathetic?”

Hibari went back into the kitchen, but she heard him shout, “I have no intention of stopping.”

Seiko smiled.  That was reassuring.

Seiko stumbled backwards and rubbed what would be the new bruise on her shoulder.  She fell on her butt and whined.  “That hurt.”

“Then stop.”  Hibari ordered.  “You’re injured and I told you that we’d start on Monday.”

Seiko shook her head and got back up.  “No.  I have something to prove to Cressa so I need to be even better  _ by _  Monday.”

Hibari frowned.  When Seiko lunged at him again, he easily swatted her away like a bug.  It was weird.  As they were fighting, he couldn’t help but feel that she had some suppressed power.  Like she could be stronger if she just knew she could.

When she came at him again, he stepped aside and watched her stumble past.  He glared.  “I’m not going to help you if you don’t take it seriously.”

“I am!”  Seiko protested.  She charged back.

Hibari growled.  “No, this is serious.”  He waited until she was close enough and pulled out a tonfa, punching her in the stomach and flipping her onto her back.

She gasped and let out a terrible sound as she hit the ground.  She spent a moment panting and heaving in pain.  As she lay there, he couldn’t help but see her as a small, abused animal.

He knelt down.  “Get up, I know that wasn’t enough to keep you down.”

Seiko winced.  “You hit me…where my injury was…”  She moaned, forcing herself up.

He hesitated.  What was that weird feeling that came over him just then?  Sympathy?  Or guilt?  It was…unfamiliar.   He stood up.  “Stay there, I’ll get you a drink, herbivore.”

Seiko picked up a rock and chucked it at his back.  “Jerk!”

It hit him and he glared at her over his shoulder.  He started to snap at her, but resisted and walked on.

Seiko waited a while on him to go all the way to the apartment and back to here.  She had to say, her ribs were starting to hurt pretty bad.  He had only been making a point.  She knew that.  She knew that he hadn’t intentionally aimed for her injury.  But that only proved what he was saying to be that much more true.

Seiko jumped when she  heard a giggling come from the forest around the field where she and Hibari had been fighting.  Seiko quickly got up.  “Who’s there?”

A small girl trotted out of the shadows.  Her hair looked like it was cropped with a razor and had white and brown streaks all through it.  Her eyes were an even more vivid green than Cressa’s.  She was closer to Seiko’s stature, but with longer hair, bigger boobs and wider hips.  In other words, she had curves.  Seiko didn’t.

The girl had her arms crossed behind her, resting on her back while she trotted towards Seiko.  “What’s your name?”  She asked.

Seiko withdrew and tried not to cover her injury with her hand.  “I’m Seiko Himura.  And you are?”

“Sophia Maclinder.”  She answered, her eyes sparkling with mischief.  “Are you from Namimori High?”

Seiko nodded with reserve.  “And you?”

Sophia shook her head.  “I attend Kokuyo High.”

She shook her head.  “I’ve never heard of that.”

Sophia frowned.  “I see.  Well, I just came over to see why you two were fighting.  Do the two of you play a sport together?”

“No.”  Seiko confessed.  “He’s just helping me get stronger so that I can protect my sister.”

“Ah.  So he’s like…your best friend?” Sophia laughed and danced over to her.  “Bros gotta have each other’s backs, right?”

“Bros?”  Seiko repeated.  Her face heated up.  “You know…I’m a girl, right?”

Sophia gaped.  “Then why were you fighting a boy!?  Oh my gosh this changes everything.”

Seiko sat back down.  “Enough.  Just mind your own business.”  Seiko snapped.  She gripped her wound when it started to throb again.

“You’re injured…”  Sophia informed.

“I’m fine.”  Seiko snarled.

Sophia started towards Seiko, but once she was close enough, Seiko took a swing.  She moved easily out of her reached and held her hands out.  A long weapon formed in her hands and Seiko gasped, eyes wide.  

“What the hell?”  Seiko scooted back away from the girl.  “How did you do that?”

Sophia looked at the weapon in her hands.  “This?”  She looked at Seiko seriously.  “So…you don’t know?”

“Know what?”

Sophia all of a sudden started to lift up her shirt and lower her skirt.

Seiko gasped.  “What are you doing!?”

Before Sophia even bothered to answer, a green gem was exposed on her left hip.  Seiko stared in awe.  “What…”  She narrowed her eyes at Sophia.  “Is this some kind of joke?”

Sophia giggled.  “Not at all.”

Seiko got to her feet.  “How could you know about that?”

Sophia’s eyes narrowed as a grin spread across her face.  Seiko charged at her and went to grab her weapon but Sophia easily danced out of her way.  However, Seiko planted a foot and spun, kicking her right in the jaw and sending her flying back into the tree she appeared from behind.

She rubbed her wounded chin.  “Ouch.  You weren’t fighting like that a minute ago…”  Her eyes widened when Seiko went at her again.  She scrambled out of the way of Seiko’s fist.  They both turned and went running across the field.  Sophia shouted at her, “Stop trying to fight me!  I’m not bad!”

“You drew your weapon first!” Seiko shouted .

“That was just instinct from defense!”  Sophia argued.

Seiko lunged at her and tackled her, her hands landing around Sophia’s throat and pushed her back on her back.  “What do you really want!?  Are you here for Cressa?!”

“Why do you keep accusing me of being an enemy!?”  She cried.  She took a big breath, through Seiko’s hands.  “Please forgive me for doing this…but…”  She slammed the staff she was holding against Seiko’s side, right into her wound causing a white hot surge of pain to shoot up her spine.  Her body went limp and she fell onto the ground, panting in pain.

Sophia sat up.  “You don’t know how to fight at all.  You’re clearly a street fighter.  I guess I can give you props that you know how to take a hit.”  Sophia stood up and dusted herself off.  “I really am sorry that I had to do that.  Please understand.  I’ll explain everything to you when you’re more calm.”  She waved and disappeared back into the forest.

A few minutes later, Seiko sat up as Hibari walked up.  He looked at her skeptically.  “You look worse than when I left you.  Did you beat yourself up?”

Seiko glared at him.  “No! Idiot!  I had a visitor.”

Hibari’s eyes narrowed.  “Who?”

“Some girl…Sophia…”  Seiko stared where she had taken off, wondering just what that was all about.

Hibari kicked her gently, causing her to come back to reality.  He handed her a bottle of water and pain medicine.  “Now come on.  You’re not going to get any better by being lazy.”

Seiko quickly took it and then got back up, reading herself for the next round.


	10. Suicide Prevention

Tsuna chuckled as he and Seiko walked to school.  He commented, “You sure look happy today.”

“Do I?”  Seiko asked, feeling her eyes sparkle.

“Yeah.  Have a good weekend?”  He asked.

Seiko looked down.  “I suppose you could say that.”  She looked up to the sky with her hand clenched into a fist.  “I’m going to show Cressa that I’m not useless!”

Tsuna blinked.  “I thought she said you were a good body guard?”

Seiko frowned.  “There was an accident Friday night.”

Tsuna’s eyes widened.  “Is that why you’re covered with bruises and scratches?”

Seiko laughed.  “Oh no, these are from Hibari-san.”

Tsuna jumped away.  “Y-you fought with Hibari-san…?  And lived!?”

“We were sparring, not fighting.”  Seiko informed, a grin on her lips.  “And I still have a long way to go, but I can feel it – I’m much stronger!”

Tsuna stared at her.  She could tell that he was seeing her differently.  Why?

They both looked up when they went through the gate and Hibari was leaning on it.  He looked back at them.

Tsuna shied closer to Seiko.  “G-good morning…H-Hibari-san.”

Hibari ignored him and turned his gaze on Seiko.  “You’re not going to put my efforts to shame, are you?”

Seiko straightened.  “Of course not!”  She waved him bye and headed on to class.  Tsuna trotted to keep up with her.

He asked, “Seriously.  What is going on between you and Hibari-san?”

Seiko shook her head.  “Why does everyone ask me that?  He really doesn’t like me all that much.  He thinks I’m weak and pathetic.”

Tsuna made a face.  “R-really?  Th-then what does he think of me?”

In class, they had just gotten settled when someone came running in.

He shouted, “Guys!  Come quick! Yamamoto is about to jump off the roof!”

Tsuna’s eyes widened.  To her, it looked like guilt swelling in his gaze.  “Tsuna?”  Seiko questioned.  He rushed up with the rest of the students, so she followed.  But instead of joining the crowd, Tsuna hid next to the fence and whined.  “This is my fault.”

Seiko walked up to him.  “Why do you say that?”

He looked up at her.  “I told him to put extra effort into his baseball game…and he broke his arm cause of it…”

“That doesn’t make it your fault.”  Seiko told him.

Reborn popped up out of nowhere and held the gun up to him.  “Go help your friend.”

Before he shot a bullet, Tsuna leapt away and ran right to Yamamoto.  “Noo!!!”

Yamamoto turned to him.  “Huh…?  Tsuna?”

The two of them started talking and Seiko walked up to listen in.  Tsuna spoke of saying that everything he said was a lie and how he never wanted to die because of a failure because he failed all of the time.

Suddenly nervous though, Tsuna turned to run away when Yamamoto grabbed his shirt.  “Wait, Tsuna-“  He started.

Seiko gasped when Tsuna fell backwards, over the fence.  Both of them leaned over the edge.  Seiko screamed and ran for them to try and catch them.  She had gotten to the edge when they slipped over.  “Tsuna!  Yamamoto!”  She shrieked.

She started to jump after them, to try to do anything, when an arm grabbed hers and yanked her back.  She stumbled back several feet from the edge.

“Don’t be stupid.”  Hibari scolded her.

Seiko jumped back up and looked after them.  She felt tears start.  “No…”

But to her surprise, they both landed safely in a pool of water that hadn’t been there before.  Her eyes widened and when she blinked, the water was gone, but the two boys were safe on the ground, sitting up and everything.

Seiko’s gaze trailed across the grounds to a tree where the girl she had saved the other day stood.  Her eyes were on Yamamoto and Tsuna, and a blush on her cheeks.  She then disappeared into the school.  Seiko let out a breath of relief.  “What…just happened…?”

Seiko watched them a moment before going to the roof entrance and back down the steps.  She made it to the bottom floor where she nearly ran smack into  Leona.  Seiko grabbed her before she could run on by.  “I thought that was you.”

Leona stared at her with wide eyes.  A strange tingle was building where their skin touched.  It wasn’t pleasant.  It was like someone pressing a cold knife to their skin until finally – 

Leona ripped back.  “Stay away from me!”  She shouted.

Seiko stared at her.  “What’s going on?  It’s just me.  Remember, I saved you the other day; Seiko?”

Leona looked away.  “I-I know…but…I had no idea that you…”

Seiko kept from walking closer.  “I’m not mad or threatening you or anything.  I just want to know…how did you save Tsuna and Yamamoto?”

Her eyes widened.  “I didn’t!  I didn’t do anything!  You’re wrong!”

Seiko shook her head.  “Okay…well…I won’t push it.  But I wanted to tell you…thank you.  They’re very close friends of mine.”  She started to turn and walk off when Leona grabbed her hand again.

The feeling was still there.  That weird…abstract pain.  That paranoia of impending doom.  A tickle that made her feel like she had to keep an eye over her shoulder.  Leona stared at her with her big blue eyes.  “May I…too?”

“You, what?”  Seiko questioned.

She blushed brightly and looked away.  “F-friends?”

Seiko pursed her lips.  This girl was like the complete opposite of what she had been when Seiko saved her.  She was bubbly and excited.  But it seemed like right now she was so nervous that she couldn’t even form words.  Seiko forced a warm smile despite her frustrated mentality.  “Of course we can be friends.”

Her expression brightened.  “Really?  You won’t try to kill me when I turn around?”

Seiko’s eyes narrowed.  “Why would I do that?”

She jumped back.  “N-No reason…”  She turned and ran off without saying anything else.

Seiko watched her go.  For some strange reason…she reminded her of Sophia…

She turned and headed for the front doors, looking for Tsuna and Yamamoto when she passed the rest of the Discipline committee scolding a student.

It was Cressa.

“It doesn’t matter, it’s not excuse to just skip class.”  Kuskabee told her.

Seiko walked up.  “What’s going on?”

Kuskabee looked up at her and smiled.  “Oh, hey Seiko-chan.  We’re just patrolling for Hibari-san.”

“You know the entire student body is up on the roof right?  No one’s in class.”

“Yes, but Hibari told us to watch the halls while he tended to some business.”

Cressa fanned her hand.  “Get rid of them, Seiko!  Now!”

Seiko rolled her eyes.  “She’s with me, think you could cut her some slack?”

Kuskabee smiled.  “Sure thing.  If you ask for it, then you can have it.”

Seiko blinked.  “Why do I get special treatment?”

He grinned.

Seiko jumped.  “This isn’t cause of Hibari-san, is it!?”

“He asked us to.”

Seiko growled and stomped her foot, marching out of school.  Cressa followed and she was on her way straight to her house when she heard her name called.

Seiko looked over as Tsuna and Yamamoto, along with Gokudera ran up.  “Want to walk home together?”

Cressa attached herself to Gokudera.  “Can I go to your house?”

Gokudera’s eye twitched.  “Er…”

Seiko smiled.  “I would love to walk with you guys.”

Yamamoto held his fist out.  “Thanks for trying to save us, Seiko.  I saw you runnin for us.”

She blushed.  “I didn’t end up doing anything.”

Tsuna smiled.  “I still don’t know how we survived.”  He commented.

Yamamoto shrugged.  “No use worrying!  We’ll just enjoy the fact that we did!”

Seiko smiled, listening to them talk all the way home.


	11. Wanted

“You don’t have to treat me like a child.”  Seiko growled, walking with a couple bags of groceries in her hands.

“Apparently I do.” Hibari retorted, walking next to her.  

Seiko puffed her cheeks.  “No, you were just throwing a fit cause you think I was stealing your money.”

“You weren’t eating.  You look like crap.”

Seiko blushed and gritted her teeth.  “You don’t have to act like a jerk.”

Hibari smirked.  “You’re just mad cause I flipped you on your back three times during practice.”

Seiko glared at him.  “That last one was a low blow!  You know I favor my left side!”

“You have to get over that.  An opponent will sense that, and exploit it.”

Seiko looked down.  “You sure know a lot about fighting.”

“Yeah.”  He responded plainly.

They both stopped and looked down at the small baby standing in front of them.  Seiko recognized Reborn.  “Seiko-chan.  Hibari-san.”

Hibari grumbled.  “What is this?”

Seiko elbowed him.  “Take it easy.  It’s…Tsuna’s friend.”

“That herbivore?”  Hibari growled.  

Seiko glared at him.  He glared back and it almost seemed like he chose not to fight the battle and looked back at Reborn.  “Either way, what does the baby want?”

Reborn pointed at them.  “Seiko-chan should join the family.”

Seiko paused, remembering the question about her family from before.  She looked away.  “What is up with you asking – “

There was a loud ruckus from across the street and they watched a girl in a school uniform go running from a small food store.

Hibari growled.  “Kokuyo High trash.”

“Kokuyo?”  Seiko repeated, then her eyes widened when she saw that it was Sophia from before.  She jumped.  “That’s!”  She shoved the bags off on Hibari and went running after her.  She hadn’t gone but two steps when she heard her name.

She looked back to see Leona staring at her with big round eyes.  “Seiko-sama!  What are you doing?”

It was worse than before.  There seemed to be some kind of cackling energy between them.  But this time, Seiko felt it even from Sophia who was putting on distance between them.   Frustrated, Seiko turned back around.  “Nothing.  Hibari and I just went shopping.  What are you- “

She watched as Hibari put the bags down and walked away without a word.  She blinked, staring in awe.  “What…”

Reborn watched him walk away and said, “He appears uncomfortable.”

Seiko sighed and picked up Reborn.  “I’m guessing you want to discuss this family thing, right?”

Reborn nodded as he was set on her shoulder.  “Yes.”

Seiko looked at Leona.  “ I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

Leona  paused .  “ Sure…”

Reborn patted the side of Seiko’s head.  “Take your groceries to your house and then go to Tsuna’s.”

It was the first time that Seiko had seen Reborn tutoring Tsuna.  If you could call it that.  If Tsuna got a question wrong, Reborn used explosives to make a point.

After the third explosion, Seiko sighed.  “Why did you ask me to come here, Reborn?”

Tsuna blushed.  “You don’t need to stay and watch me embarrass myself, Seiko-chan.”

Reborn growled.  “Stupid-Tsuna.  Ask her to join your family.”

“But she doesn’t want to!”  Tsuna protested.

Reborn frowned.  “As a future mafia boss, you should know your family better.”

“She’s not family.”  Tsuna argued.

Seiko withdrew against the wall.  “I think I should leave…”

Tsuna stood.  “Seiko-chan, wait.  I didn’t mean.  It’s not that I don’t want you in my family, but I…”

Seiko looked at him as he stuttered.  “I just didn’t think you’d want to get involved in the dangerous stuff we get caught up in.  Or this nonsense at all.”

Seiko looked down again.  “I’ve…never had a family before.”

Tsuna’s features softened.  “Seiko-chan…”

When she started to say something else, Seiko saw that outside the window, in a tree was a small child that was wearing a cow suit.  “What the hell?  What is that?”

Tsuna tried to tell Reborn about it, but Reborn ignored it and kept scolding him.  The little person had a gun pointed at Reborn, but when it pulled the trigger, nothing happened.  

Except the tree limb broke and he fell to the ground, crying.

Seiko made a face.  How sad.

A moment later the little cow busted through the door, screaming, “I am Lambo!”  When Reborn still ignored him, Lambo charged with a knife.  However, Reborn just flicked him away like a fly.

Lambo got up, exclaiming that he must have tripped over something.   He introduced himself and kept trying to get their attention, but at this point, everyone was ignoring him.  When he mentioned the ten year Bazooka, Seiko got curious, but didn’t say anything.

He pulled out a hand grenade and threw it at Reborn suddenly, but he caught it and threw it back a Lambo.  They both flew out the window and exploded in the tree.

When Tsuna’s mom called him down a bit later, Seiko followed.  She had brought Lambo back in and scolded Tsuna for not helping the two children settle their argument.  Seiko had to resist laughing.

In the end, Tsuna had to take Lambo out to cheer him up.  Again, Seiko tagged along.

“So what do we do with him?”  Seiko asked as they paused by the town river.

Tsuna gave Lambo some candy and that helped.  “I don’t know why Reborn is picking on him or what their relationship is.”

After Lambo talked to them about wanting to become the boss of the Bolvio family, they tried to ditch him, but he clung to Tsuna’s leg.  Seiko smirked.  “I guess you’re stuck with him.”

Tsuna sighed.  “It looks like it…”

They headed back to his house, but to her surprise, they passed Hibari down the street.  He glared at the two of them but didn’t say anything.  Seiko frowned.  Wonder what had gotten into him…?

Tsuna ended up asking his mom if it was alright for Lambo to stay.  She agreed of course.  She also invited Seiko to stay for dinner.  She raised her hands.  “No, no.  I need to get home and feed my own little demons.”

She smiled and waved.  “Come back any time!”

Seiko rushed out of his house.  It was so weird to her.  Being surrounded by people who could tease and poke fun at each other.  Who cared to be near each other.

Who were wanted in their own house.

By the time she got back to her own apartment, she was crying.

She wanted to join Tsuna’s family and take part in that more than anything.

She pushed open the door while wiping her eyes.

The kittens food and water bowls were already filled; the two kittens happily lapping at their offerings.  Seiko hiccupped on her tears and looked over.  Not to her surprise, Hibari was sitting on her couch reading a book.  He didn’t even look up at her.  “Guess the kittens aren’t important to you anymore.”

“Shut up.” Seiko ordered.  “You don’t know anything…”

“You’re right.  Let’s keep it that way.”

Seiko gritted her teeth.  This was the treatment she was used to getting.  People who didn’t care, who didn’t want her around.  Who only kept her around because she was useful.

“You cry for the most pathetic reasons.”   He told her, still not looking up from the book.

She went to the kitchen so he wouldn’t see that she only started crying harder.  She pressed her face to the fridge to cool her forehead off.  “Just leave me alone!  You don’t even know what I’m crying over so how can you call it pathetic?”

“Cause it’s pathetic stuff you always cry over.”

“Would you just go away!”  She screamed, hands clenched.  She lifted a fist and went to punch the door when she felt two arms around her.  A hand grabbed her wrist and the other covered her eyes.  She was pulled back against his strong body and she gasped.

He calmly told her.  “I’ll go away, when you stop crying.”

Her breathing hitched and, despite her closed eyes, she just cried harder.  “I can’t stop.”

“Then I can’t leave.”

He was poking fun at her, but it didn’t matter.  There was something comforting in his words.  This guy…

As much as she accused him of being a jerk, had helped her so much in the last couple weeks.  He’d selflessly helped her and the kittens with  nothing in return.  Maybe she  w as  seeing a side that none of those others ever saw.

She caught her breath enough to ask, “How…can I repay you…for everything?”

He sighed as though she was a burden and rested his chin on her head.  “Just…stop crying…”

“…Okay…”


	12. Tested

Seiko, Tsuna, and Yamamoto were telling jokes while walking into school.

Yamamoto looked at her.  “So Seiko, are you a part of the failure club, too?”

Seiko looked down.  “Unfortunately.”

Yamamoto frowned.  “What, are you expecting to do something great with your future?”

Tsuna looked at Yamamoto as they stopped in front of the doors.  “She has a lot of potential, Yamamoto.”

Seiko blushed and rubbed the back of her head.  “I don’t know about that…”

“I see it.”  Yamamoto agreed, a grin on his face.

They continued talking as they headed for class, but the bell rang before they even made it in the building.

What would you know, Hibari walked out that same moment and glared at them.

Tsuna jumped back.  “Hibari-san…!  He’ll kill us.”

Yamamoto cautiously raised a hand.  “H-hey…Hibari-san.”

He glared at the two of them and then looked at Seiko.  “Hurry to class.  Your grades won’t get any better if you’re late.”

They walked quietly passed him and rushed towards their class.

During class, Yamamoto leaned to her.  “Was it me, or did it sound like Hibari was being nice to you?”

Seiko blushed.  “Shut up.”  She ordered.

He nudged her.  “So am I right?”

“N-no!”  Seiko argued.

“You’re blushing.”

She jumped up.  “No I’m not!”

He chuckled.  “Look at you getting all worked up.”

Seiko sat back down and whimpered.  “You guys are mean.”

Tsuna laughed.  “I agree with Yamamoto though.  I’ve suspected for a while.”

Seiko crossed her arms and turned away from them.

During lunch break , Gokudera and Reborn confronted them about having a family entrance exam to see whether or not Yamamoto qualified to be in the family.  Apparently, Gokudera had a problem with it.

The initiation was to avoid all of the attacks for as long as possible.  It started with knives, then arrows, then a gun, then missiles.

While she was watching them, Hibari walked up next to her, arms crossed.  “Do you hang out with them…to watch them squirm?”

“Why do you care who I hang out with?”  Seiko asked.  “That part really has nothing to do with the kittens.”

Hibari closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.  “Idiot.”

Seiko glared at him.  “You’re not calling me an idiot, are you?”

“Who else?”  Hibari snapped.

Seiko glared.  “You…!  You’re such a jerk!”

When the group stopped blowing things up, Hibari straightened.  He walked away quickly.  Seiko frowned and turned, taking off after him.  “Hibari-san… I wanted to ask you something. ”

“What?”  He asked sharply.

Seiko frowned.  “Why are you always taking off whenever anyone else shows up, but you seem fine talking to me?”

He paused, glaring at her over his shoulder.  “I have no idea.”  He said angrily before going on down the hall.  He stormed into the reception room and slammed the door.

Seiko frowned.  What had gotten him so mad?

Seiko jumped when a person walked up behind her.  She turned to see Kuskabee.  He asked, “What’s wrong?  You’re staring at the reception room like it will bite you.  You know you’re allowed in there, right?”

“Oh uh…” Seiko waved her hand in acknowledgement.  “Heheh…”

“Is something wrong?”

“I think Hibari-san in mad at me.”

“Aw, lover’s quarrel?”

Seiko’s face lit up.  “Wh-what?!”   She crossed her arms and turned away.  “No.  That’s not it at all.”  

“Sure it’s not.”

Seiko glared at him and stormed off.  “Why is everyone in this school acting like a jerk today!?”

Outside, the group was laughing and enjoying themselves.  Guess Yamamoto passed?

At the end of the day,  Cressa walked up  to her .  “Are you actually going to take me home today?”

Seiko sighed.  “Yeah.”

For the first time, Seiko took her all the way to her doorstep.  Cressa looked  at her with narrowed eyes.  “Well?  What are you still standing here for?  You can leave.”

Seiko jumped and glared.  “What are you so rude for-“

“Look.  You’re my body guard.  I used to think you were really good at your job, but lately I think you’re kind of useless.  The last thing that I want is for people to think we’re friends that hang out, okay?”

Seiko stared at her  feet.  “Of course.  Why would  anyone want to be seen with a loser like me?”

Cressa clapped her hands.  “Exactly!  Glad you understand.  Now shoo, shoo.”

Seiko turned away from her doorstep in time to hear the door slam shut behind her.  She made her way back to her apartment while holding her breath.  There was no way she was going to start crying again.

It was a relief to fall into the couch cushions and have the familiar warm fuzzballs climb all over her.  She hugged them as they licked her face.  At least there was someone in this world who wanted her around.

After a few minutes, her door opened.

She watched as Hibari took off his shoes and the kittens abandoned her to run up to him.   He picked them up and then looked at her.  “Ditching your training already?”

Seiko blinked.  “What are you talking about?”

“You didn’t stay after.”

“Didn’t realize I was welcome to, I got a door slammed in my face.”

Hibari just glared at her.  “That simply meant I was done with your questions.”

Seiko sighed and pulled her legs up to her chest while she sat on the couch, wishing Pyro and Icil didn’t already like him better than her.

He asked, “So are you making yourself dinner?”

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

“Why?” He demanded, going into her kitchen.

She never answered him.  After less than thirty minutes, he set a plate of food down in front of her.  She glared at him.  “I seriously don’t understand why you bother so much.”

“Just shut up and eat.”  He ordered.

Seiko grumbled but ate her food without any more arguing.  He sat down on the couch as well, eating the same thing.  To her surprise, it was pretty good, especially for such a quickly-made meal.

She would never admit it, but she enjoyed having him around.  It kept her looking after herself, and provided some entertainment, too.  

After finishing eating, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes .  Before she knew it, she was out like a light.

Hibari watched the kittens wrestle across the top of the coffee table.  They ended up knocking off both plates before they landed on the ground and bolted.  He started to say something to Seiko about letting them run around unsupervised when he realized she was asleep.

He rolled his eyes.  If she ate better, she wouldn’t be so tired all of the time.

He jumped when her  head  fell on his shoulder from the back of the couch.  His first reaction was to push her off and throw her off the couch, but when he touched the top of her head, he lost the will to do it.

She was making the tiniest snoring sound as she slept and it irritated him, but for some reason, he just couldn’t bring himself to do anything about it.

He relaxed and just watched as the kittens ran back out of the bedroom.

What was the matter with him?


	13. Groups vs. Committees

When Seiko woke up, her neck hurt a bit.  She sat up and straightened, sighing with relief when it popped.  But then her eyes widened when she realized that it was Hibari’s shoulder she had fallen asleep on.

He was still asleep.

The kittens were wide awake, sitting at her feet.  This meant that it was time to feed them.  Which also translated as almost time to go to school.  She quickly gave them food and water and paused, staring at Hibari.

She wondered if everyone else could see him sleeping, if they’d ever see him as threatening again.  He looked so peaceful.  Seiko nudged his shoulder.  “Hibari-san, Hibari-san.  Wake up.  It’s almost time for school.”

She gasped when he reached out suddenly and grabbed her collar.  When his eyes opened, he released her.  “I don’t like being woken up.”

Seiko smiled.  “But you’d dislike missing school more, right?”

He watched her a moment and nodded.  “Yes.”

Seiko chirped, “Well then, hurry up!  We both slept in.”

He watched her as she ran into the bedroom and shut the door to change.  He asked, “Why are you so chipper today?”  He looked at the kittens already eating and smirked.  She was getting better.

“I dunno.”  She answered through the door.  “I guess…cause I have company.”

Hibari paused at this.  “Why would having someone like me around, cheer you up?”

“Answer this first, Hibari-san.” Seiko ordered, walking out in her uniform.  “Why do you choose to endure putting up with m e to take care of those kittens? ”

He stared at her, but gave no answer.

Seiko watched him, starting to wonder if there was some language to his eyes.  If she could figure it out, maybe she could understand him better.  He always gave her that kind of look when every she brought up anything that had to deal with him and her together.  It was n’t  repulsion.  So what was it?

“Can I ask you something?”  Seiko questioned.  “And will you please actually answer me?”

“Fine.  Then we need to go to school.”  He ordered.

“Do you give me special treatment?”  Seiko questioned.

That same stared.

“Kusakabe told me that you did.”  She stated.  “That you asked him to, as well.”

Hibari glared at her.  Seiko jumped.  “But don’t get mad at him!  Please.”

He turned and headed for the door.  “Yes.  I give you special treatment.”

Her eyes widened and she chased after him out the door.  “Why?”

“I said I’d answer one question.”  Hibari retorted.

“That’s not fair!”

“So earn the right to more questions.”

“How?”

“Beat me.”

“Fine!”  Seiko shouted and tackled him from behind.  He gasped and stumbled forward, but didn’t fall.

Seiko clung to his back and tried to pull him to the ground.  “I’ll beat you a hundred times and make you answer all of my questions!”

Hibari snickered while trying to elbow her off of him.  “In your dreams.  I’ll bite you to death – “

“No, I’ll bite you!”  She snapped playfully, biting his hair.

“Hey!”  He growled, trying to reach around and yank her off.  He stopped suddenly when they saw Tsuna walking up.

“S-seiko-chan?  H-hibari-san?”  He blinked, his mouth hung open in awe.

Hibari suddenly dropped Seiko right on the ground.  “I’m leaving.”  And he walked away.

Seiko watched him and then looked back at Tsuna.  So that was it.  She’d been right all along.  There was a completely different side of him that he showed her, but refused to let anyone else see.  Why her?  What was so special about her?

Tsuna kneeled down to her.  “Are you okay, Seiko-chan?

Seiko nodded as she got up.

Tsuna sighed, “That’s a relief.  I was worried Hibari-san had gotten upset and was fighting you.”

Seiko waved her hand.  “No, no.  I’m just fine. ”

As they walked to school, Tsuna told him about meeting Gokudera’s sister and how she made ‘poison cooking’ and tried to assassinate him with it.  He also talked about meeting a couple other people.  Some doctor who only likes girls, and a girl named Haru.   And also his crush’s older brother: Sasagawa Ryohei.

After the first class, Seiko saw Hibari walking down the hall.  She trotted up to him.  “Do you ever actually attend class?”

“Not really.”  He informed, not even looking at her.

“So what are you doing?”

“I’m on my way to a meeting of committees.  Would you like to join?”

“But I’m not…”

“So?”

She smiled.  It was the first time he’d invited her to something.  Of course she’d tag along!

Instead of taking a seat like all the others were, Hibari leaned against the window.  She noted that he seemed to prefer places where there was air or at least visibility of the outside.

The first thing that everyone started whispering about was that a committee was taking the reception room.  She figured that was the disclipine committee’s since Hibari was always there.  In fact, it was confirmed by some girls that it was.

Hibari glared at them.  “Is that a problem?”

A couple people retorted, “It’s weird to use the reception room, right?”

“I sense a conspiracy.”

Hibari casually asked, “What are you, the friendship committee?  We’re only supposed to have one representative from each group.”

The same guy barked, “Then what’s with the little boy?”

Seiko’s face flushed.

“ _ She’s _  a neutral spectator.  Or are you intimidated by her?”

They shut up.

A while after the meeting, while Seiko was tailing Hibari again, Kusakabe walked up.  “They won’t do that again.”

“Good.”  Hibari informed.

Seiko looked at him questioningly.  “Who won’t do what?”

“I hate groups…” Hibari growled, not directly answering her question, but she put the pieces together.  There was no more ‘friendship’  committee.

Seiko sighed.  “Well, I’m going to class.”

“Bye!”  Kusakabee waved at her.

Hibari told her, “Don’t forget to stay after.  Knowing you, your skills will get rusty if you don’t use them.”

Seiko stuck her tongue out at him and went to class.

During the class, Seiko overheard the group talking about wanting to make a base, but she just relaxed, casually leaning back in her chair.  They sure did sound like kids.

Later, Seiko was on her way to go get a snack when she passed Lambo.  She blinked.  “Lambo-chan?  What are you doing alone?”

“They went to go make a base in the reception room without Lambo.  So Lambo is going home…”  He sniffled and walked on.

“In the reception room…?”  Seiko repeated.  Then her eyes widened.  “Oh no!”  She bolted down the hall and up the stairs, making her way as fast as she could to the reception room.

She threw the door open just in time to see Tsuna, in his dying-will state punch Hibari right in the face.  She gasped as he glared at Tsuna, threatened to kill him and went in for another attack.

But Seiko cut him off and shouted, “Hibari-san, stop!”

He froze and stared at her.  “What are you doing here?”

Seiko looked around and saw that he had already beaten up Gokudera and Yamamoto.  She kept between him and Tsuna.  “Please stop beating them up.  They’re my friends…”

His eyes narrowed.  “I hate groups…”

“I know, but they’re sorry and they’ll leave!”  Seiko pleaded.  “Please…Hibari-san…”

He gritted his teeth and turned away.

Seiko let out a huge sigh of relief.

Tsuna collapsed.  “Thank you, Seiko-chan.  That would have ended badly without you.”

Seiko frowned, glancing at Reborn who looked at her curiously.

What was on his mind?


	14. Little Herbivore

Late in the evening, Seiko was still anxiously wandering back and forth through her apartment.  Her eyes kept darting to the cats’ food and water bowls.   She had left them both empty in hopes that Hibari’s senses would kick in and notice that they were starving.

Her stomach was churning at the thought of him taking his anger out on her because she interrupted his fight.  She knew how important his little fights were to him.

She stopped and looked down.  She didn’t really have to protect Tsuna and the others.  It was just a spur of the moment thing.  She liked Hibari, he was kind to her, but what he was doing; the fighting and rough-housing, even to the rest of his committee – she didn’t like that.  Part of her probably wished that she could…change him?

Maybe…

But not at the rate she was going.

Her heart went crazy when her door opened.  By the time Hibari was inside taking off his shoes, her knees were shaking.  She stared at him.

He glared back.  “What?”

“Y-you’re…here…”

“Yes.  Of course I am.  When have I not come over to make sure you’re not failing at your job.”  His gaze darted to the bowls and then narrowed.  “As I see you’ve done just that.”

Seiko caught her breath.  “So you’re not mad?”

He stared at her like she was dumb as wood.  “On about this ‘mad’ thing.  Where did you get that idea this time?”

Seiko gulped.  “I interrupted your fight.  And I know that you really hate when people do that…and…and…you took off without saying anything to me.”

Hibari sighed – again like she was just an extra weight on his shoulders that he’d like to get rid of.  “You’re really paranoid about this.  It’s ridiculous.”  He gave the kittens some food and water.  “If I’m ever upset with you…I’ll tell you.  Okay?”

Seiko felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest.  “Y-yes.  O-okay.”

“Now.  I am slightly irritated.”  He informed, standing back up.  “Why didn’t you feed them while you were uselessly waiting for me to show up?”

Her face erupted in a blush.  “I-I!”  She saw him pulling a tonfa out of his sleeve.

“You’re not going to make me bite you to death…are you?”

Seiko put her hands up.  “I was just about to – “

He turned suddenly and she backed up to the wall .  He pretended to nearly punch her but the hit was against the wall instead.  He smirked at her.  “What happened to the whole ‘not looking pathetic’ thing?  You’re looking pretty sorry right now.”

Seiko’s eyes widened.  “How dare you!?”

She went to push him back, but he didn’t budge.  She was more aware than she wanted to be that his body was just a couple inches from hers.  “Y-you caught me off guard…”  She grumbled, looking anywhere but his face.

“So if we were fighting for real, you’d be dead, herbivore.”

“I’m not an herbivore!  And we’re not fighting for real, so – “  She went to hit him but he caught her wrist and pinned it to wall next to her head.  She kept trying to turn her head away to hide her blush, but nothing she could do would make it go away.  “Fine, I get it…you win.”

“You’re not even fighting back, today?”

“How can I fight back when you already have me pinned!?”  Seiko snapped.

“So when a real enemy pins you down, you’re just going to play dead?  You get angry when I call people herbivores, but that’s exactly what they do.  They wait to be ki – “

Seiko punched him as hard in stomach as she could with her other hand and moved away from the wall.  Her face was heated and she glared at him while he held his stomach, wincing.  She shouted at him, “I’m not an herbivore!”

“Prove it.”  He snapped back, running at her.

Seiko gasped and ran to the other side of the couch.  Last minute, she leapt over it and ran just past him, looking for something to hold him back with.  He was stronger and faster and in this tight quarters, she couldn’t win unless she was able to pin him with something.

She made another loop around, searching for something, but in the near empty apartment, she had nothing.  She was just about to go for the door and get out of there, when a loud crash made her jump.  One of the tonfas fell to the floor in front of her where it bounced off the wall.  Before she could do anything, she was wrung around the waist and thrown down on the couch where he pinned her. 

“You’re getting better.”  He said.  “Your punches are stronger.”

“No.  You’re just getting weaker.  And more predictable.”  Seiko stated, panting from exhaustion.

“Predictable, huh?”  He challenged.

“Yeah.”  Seiko laughed breathlessly.  “I knew you’d show up…no matter what.  And as I think everyone knows, you wanted to fight.”

“After missing a chance to beat up those herbivores earlier, I needed something to take out my frustration.”

“See?  Predictable.”  Seiko taunted.

Hibari pulled back, eyes narrowed and swirling like he was debating whether or not to do something in his head.  For a moment, she could tell he was tempted, but then he got off of her and the couch and went to the kitchen.

Seiko, much more slowly while she tried to calm her racing heart, followed.  “You don’t have to cook for me every day.”

“If I don’t, will you eat?”

Seiko went quiet.

“Exactly.”

Seiko leaned on his back and yawned.  “I’m too tired to eat.”

“Then go lay on the couch.”  He ordered.  “I’ll wake you up when it’s ready. ”

It only took Seiko about three minutes to fall asleep.  As much as he hated to admit it, she looked adorable when she fell asleep.  It was never normal either; she always slept in the most strangest of ways.

This time especially, when he carried the food back out to the living room, she had one leg over the back of the couch, an arm over her face and her other hand resting on the coffee table.  He set her food down while he set on the edge of the couch.

He went to shake her awake when he was blindsided by the overwhelming urge to let her sleep.  Almost without conscious thought, his hand brushed her cheeks and through her hair.

Where was this feeling coming from?

But even though she wanted to sleep, eating was more important.  He nudged her shoulder gently.  “Wake up…”

When she didn’t stir, he lifted her up so she was sitting.  “Wake up, Seiko.”  He ordered.

Her eyes fluttered about half way open and she looked at him.  “What did you say?”

“I told you to wake up.”  He growled.

“No…you called me by my name.”

He paused.

“That’s the first time you’ve said it.”

He didn’t realize until that moment, but she was right.  He’d never once addressed her by her name or anything besides ‘pathetic’ or ‘herbivore’.

She smiled and leaned on his shoulder.  “You should use it more often.  I like when you say my name.”

“You’re still half asleep, aren’t you?”  He growled, starting to push her up.

“Maybe a little…”  She whispered.

He sighed.  “You’re frustrating…Seiko…”

She grinned.  “And you’re a pushover.”

“Will you get off my shoulder and eat?”  He growled.

“I don’t want to…”  She teased quietly.

If it was anyon e else, he would have been pissed .  But she looked so much like a resilient kitten that he couldn’t bring himself to get angry.  Instead, he got some of it on the fork and pressed it to her lips.  “I’m not leaving until you eat all of it.”

“Then I’m gonna take my time…”  She said before taking the bite.

So…she wanted him around?

He didn’t say anything more while feeding her, but something about the idea that someone wanted him around as a person, made him feel…strange.

Was it happy?

He usually only felt this sensation after winning a fight, a good fight.

But maybe there was something else to this little herbivore…


	15. Pain of Homework

Tsuna and Seiko had been chatting during their first hour while the teacher attempted to make a speech about work ethic and focusing on your grades.

Seiko sighed.  As much as she wanted to do better, she couldn’t.  Her eyes went to the back of Cressa’s head.  Certain people prevented her from making any progress in her life at all.

Today, everyone was getting back their tests.  Seiko had struggled through it, so she knew her grade wasn’t going to be the best.

Yamamoto got his back first, then Tsuna and Gokudera.  Finally, Seiko got hers.  In order, the scores were 35, 29, 98, and 5.

Seiko’s eyes widened.  “This can’t be right.  Only five?”

Tsuna frowned at her.  “Remember when we took this test, you were so exhausted that you could barely keep your head up?  You probably couldn’t even read the questions correctly.”

Seiko sighed.  “This is going to destroy me.”

Yamamoto patted her shoulder.   “Hey, no sweat.  Tsuna and I were going to study after school.  And Gokudera was going to come to help us. ” He looked at Tsuna before adding.  “You’re welcome to join us.”

“Right after school?”  Seiko clarified.

“Yeah, is that a problem?”  Tsuna asked.

“N-no.”  Seiko forced a smile.  “It’s just fine.”

Cressa walked up and leaned all over Gokudera’s side.  “So if you’re going to help these idiots, I’d be more than happy to join you and help you.”

His face darkened suddenly.  “Don’t speak about the tenth like that!”

Seiko smiled while Cressa made a disgusted face and stomped off.  It was nice to see this side of people – the side that defended each other.

Even during the group study, Seiko was finding it hard to focus and understand.  She could tell that Gokudera was trying his hardest and even Tsuna and Yamamoto were starting to get the problems.  But Seiko still wasn’t.  Her mind kept lolling between Cressa and her family, back to Leona and Sophia and why she had that gem.

After a long while, Yamamoto got up.  “Well, my brain is fried.  And it’s getting late.  I should go home.” 

Seiko looked out the window to the orange sky where the sun was setting.  She pursed her lips.  “I should too.  Pyro and Icil are most likely infuriated with me.”

Tsuna laughed.  “Yeah, well see you later.”

All three of them left, waving Tsuna goodbye.  Halfway back to her apartment, Yamamoto looked at her.  “So, are you really understanding this stuff?”

Seiko sighed.  “No.  It’s hard for me to concentrate.  I really do try, but I’m a lost cause.”

Yamamoto laughed light heartedly.  “Awe, don’t say that.”

Seiko smirked just a bit.  “Well, it’s true.  I’m going to go home and do some of my own studying for a while and see if that helps any.”

“Goodluck.”  Yamamoto told her before trotting the opposite direction to his house.  When Seiko got back to her apartment, she saw a motorcycle there.  She’d never seen it before.  Or at least…she never noticed it.

Inside, Pyro was precariously perched atop Hibari’s head while he teased Icil by holding her down by the stomach.  “You skipped training again today.”

“Sorry.”  Seiko said with a sigh, setting her bag down and pulling her book right back out.  “I found out that I’m miserably failing a class and I need to study.”

“What class?”  Hibari asked.

“Anatomy.”  Seiko grumbled.  “It’s all about memorization but I’m no good at it.  I’m also failing math and several other of my core courses, but anatomy  and math are  my biggest issue s .”

Hibari abandoned the cats on the couch and walked over to where Seiko was opening her book at her desk.  “Let me see what you have, maybe I can help.”

“Don’t bother.”  Seiko sighed, leaning her head on her hand.  “I’m hopeless.”

“You sound ridiculous.  Shut up.”  He ordered, leaning over her chair and looking at her book.  He flipped through the pages and she just sat still, pretending like she couldn’t tell perfectly well that he was so close to her that she could feel his breath every now and then.  “It isn’t too hard.”  He said, bringing her right back to reality.

She glared at him.  “For you maybe.”  She pulled one of the assignments out of the book that she hadn’t done yet.  “So you can help me complete this?”

“I can try.”  He told her.  “Start on it, let me see what you know.”

“Nothing.”  Seiko retorted.  “I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Only weaklings answer like that.”  Hibari scolded.

He started walking her through the assignment, but every time she said she didn’t get it, he accused her of not paying attention.  Maybe that was the issue, but she really was trying.  Trying as hard as she could in fact.

After nearly an hour, he stopped abruptly.  Seiko looked at him.  “What?”

“Why are you shaking?”  He growled.  

“Cause I’m so frustrated.”  Seiko cried.  “I’m trying as hard as I can but I just don’t understand anything and I don’t know why.  I just – “

“I know.”  Hibari told her.  “Your issue is very obvious.”

“What then?”  Seiko demanded.

“You get worked up over the little things.”  Hibari said, placing his hand on top of hers around the pencil.  “You get frustrated because you can’t do everything the first time.  So you stumble over that instead of focusing on how to correct the issue.”

Seiko swallowed her breath as his hand guided hers through the assignment, rewriting the problems she had failed the first time and filling in a few more.  He was leaned down next to her, his other hand on the back of her chair.  “Just calm down.”  He ordered.

Seiko closed her eyes a moment and took a big breath.

When he asked her the next question, it puzzled her at first, but instead of getting mad, he helped her through it.  Finally she got it and understood how she got it.

The following question, she got right the first time.

“I can’t believe it.”

Hibari smirked triumphantly.  “See?  An herbivore isn’t capable of such progress.”

“Thank you!”  Seiko shouted without thinking it through and jumped up, throwing her arms around him in a hug.  “No one’s ever helped me like this before!”

They both fell backwards but she kept a hold of him.  She cringed, not wanting to see his face when she pulled back.  That was a stupid thing to do.  He was not the kind of guy who would approve of any kind of affection.

Finally she sat back just enough to meet his shocked expression.   She blushed and looked down.  “S-sorry.  It was just kind of…spontaneous…”

After a long period of silence, he asked, “Is that always what you do when you’re happy?”

She wiggled uncomfortably.  “K-kinda…”  She put her hands up suddenly.  “But I’ll try to stop!”

He looked away, not saying anything more.  He then stood up.  “Well, now that you have a grasp of your homework, I think I’ll leave.”

“W-wait.  Do you want dinner or anything?”  She asked, jumping right up after him.

“Just focus on feeding yourself.”  He ordered, heading for the door.

“But! Wait – “  She reached out and snatched his hand just before he walked out the door.  He stopped and looked at her, his glare questioning her.

Seiko shifted her feet.  “N-nevermind…”

Hibari smirked and walked on out the door, letting it close behind him.

Seiko sighed and the moment she turned away to go back to her homework, the kittens bolted on the desk, knocking the papers everywhere.  

Seiko moaned, “You guys have been waiting to do that, haven’t you?”

They meowed in response.

Seiko stomped a foot and thought about protesting when the door opened back up.

She looked back to see Hibari standing there, his eyes focused elsewhere.  “How about we pick up sushi?”

Her eyes brightened.  “That’d be great.”

He smirked.  “Figured you’d say that.”  

She followed him quickly out the door and down the steps.  He handed her the helmet off the bike.  “Hop on.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”


	16. Crowding

Seiko clung as tightly to Hibari as she could without disturbing him while he was steering.  She wasn’t sure if this was uncomfortable for him or not, so she avoided saying  anything to him while they rode .

When he slowed a stop, he hit the kickstand down and looked back at her, waiting for her to climb off.  She did and pulled off her helmet.  He set it on the handlebars and stood up.  “Was that your first time?”

Seiko nodded.

“What’d you think?”  He asked.

“It was kind of scary, but I think it was okay because I trust you.”  Seiko confessed.

Hibari stared at her.  She’d begun to recognize this look as him resisting saying something.  Or a response to something that interested him.

He went as far as to open his mouth to say it, but when a huge group of people passed, he shuddered and said instead, “Let’s hurry.  I hate crowds.”

“ But Hibari-kun, this was your idea.”  She informed, following him as he rushed to the door.

He looked at her curiously.  It was then that it dawned on her that she’d used –kun instead of –san.   She blushed and waited for him to snap at her, but instead he just smirked.  “I prefer that.”  He stated before walking across the street to the sushi shop.

She followed him, her eyes wide and she gripped the back of his shirt.  “Are you sure?  If it’s awkward, I’ll be more careful – “

“Stop.”  He ordered, glaring at her.  “I don’t know why you try so hard to impress me.”

Her face turned crimson.  “I do not!”

His grin was a triumphant one again.

Inside, she avoided a group of people that were leaving and brushed against her.  Hibari growled and started to pull out his tonfa when she grabbed his wrist.  “Don’t.  Don’t fight people who haven’t done anything to you.”

“I hate crowdings.”  He snapped.

“I know.  Just forget them.  Pretend like they aren’t here, okay?”  She told him, feeling like a mother scolding a child.  She was sure he would take offense to that so she backed up a step.  “I mean, I’m not trying to – “

He smirked and put the tonfa away again.  “Do you really think I’m going to get angry over everything?  I thought we agreed that I would tell you if you ticked me off?”

Seiko nodded.  “You’re right.”  She followed him up to the counter where a man was chopping a fish. 

He asked, “What can I do for you today?”

Hibari looked at Seiko.  “What do you like?”

Seiko eagerly looked at the spread behind the glass.  “I like tuna sushi.”

Seiko jumped when she heard her name called while Hibari ordered.  She looked up to see Yamamoto walk up behind the glass.  He grinned.  “What’s this?  A date?”

Her face turned a hot red.  “No!”  She shouted and shook her head.  “He was just taking me out to eat.”

Yamamoto leaned towards Hibari.  “So is this it a date?”  He asked with a wink and smile.  “You can tell me the truth.”

Hibari ignored him.  He casually stated, “I don’t associate with herbivores.”

Yamamoto frowned.  “There’s no need for that.”  He said with his hands on his hips.  He turned back to Seiko.  “How can you stand a guy that hates everything?”

Seiko blushed and looked down.  “Oh, well um…”

The guy that was taking the order looked at Yamamoto.  “Are these friends of yours?”

Yamamoto laughed and said, “Oh yeah.  Well, I consider them friends.  I’m not sure if the feel is mutual.”

“It is.”  Seiko assured, earning a glare from Hibari.

“Well in that case.”  The guy waved his hand and gave Hibari back his money.  “It’s on the house.  Anything for my son’s friends.”

“This is your dad’s shop?”  Seiko questioned.

Yamamoto nodded.  “Yeah.  I help him out on occasion.”

“That’s cool.”  She turned to Yamamoto’s dad and dipped her head.  “Thank you so much.”  When she glanced at Hibari, she could tell that he was starting to feel uncomfortable.  She tugged his sleeve.  “Why don’t you go on back outside, I’ll wait for the food.”

Without even hesitating, he was gone.

She smiled a bit.  She was starting to understand him a little better.

“He doesn’t seem as angry as usual.”  Yamamoto commented.

Seiko looked at him.  “You don’t think so?”  She smiled.  “I think he’s just…different.  He tries to cover up for his social awkwardness by being a bully.  He’s not very good at it.”

“If you say so.”  Yamamoto informed.  “I just don’t think you’ve ever encountered the Hibari we knew.”

“Knew?”  Seiko repeated.

“He’s changed since you came along.”  Yamamoto put on a serious face.  “When we wandered into the Reception room, there was never a chance that he would have spared us.  He just wasn’t that kind of guy.  Especially after Tsuna hit him back.  But when you came in…”

“I don’t’ know if that’s cause of me, Yamamoto.”  Seiko stated.

He grinned.  “I’m sure it is.”  He rested his chin on his arms on the glass.  “He’s much more calm when you’re with him.  Besides, I think it’s cute.”

Her face erupted in a blush again.  “What’s cute?!”

Yamamoto chuckled.  “The two of you.”

“W-we’re not a couple.”  Seiko argued.  “I don’t think he really even likes me.  He just puts up with me so –“

“So what?” Yamamoto asked, a challenge in his eyes.

“So that the kittens I found are taken care of.”

“So tell me what that has to do with taking you out for sushi.”  Yamamoto snickered.  “That sounds to me like he cares a little more about the person taking care of the kittens and is just using them as an excuse.  He’s the kind of guy that doesn’t like a tarnished reputation.”

Seiko looked down.  “That’s just what Kusakabe said.”

Yamamoto grinned.  “See?”

Seiko looked over her shoulder and saw his back to her, waiting by the bike.

Yamamoto’s dad came back with the bag of food.  “Here you go.  Have fun.”

Seiko smiled.  “Thank you so much.”

Yamamoto waved.  “See you Monday!”

She waved back and headed for the door when she heard a giggle water splashed on her face.  She looked over, but there was nothing there.  “Where did that…”

Several tables from where she was standing, Leona was covering her mouth to keep from laughing louder.  Seiko watched her for several moments.  Leona wiggled her fingers in a wave.  Seiko asked, “Eating by yourself?”

Leona nodded.

“Let’s go out to eat together some time, okay?”

Leona’s eyes brightened.  “Yeah!”

Seiko waved and Leona called out, “Bye Seiko-sama!”

Outside the door, Seiko trotted right up to Hibari.  He looked at her, his arms crossed.  “Took you long enough.”

“Sorry.”  Seiko giggled when he put the helmet on her head and strapped it under her chin.  “I bumped into another friend.”

“I hate crowds…”  He repeated.

“I know.”  Seiko informed, setting the food in the container on motorcycle.  “That’s why I had you wait out here.  I was worried you might get tired of waiting on me and leave without me.”

“I wouldn’t leave you behind.”  He snapped, swinging onto the bike.

Her gaze softened and she smiled.  “It’s the first time I believe someone when they tell me that…”

Hibari glanced at her.  “That wasn’t an invitation to take your time.”  He growled.

“S-sorry.”  She quickly climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his back.  She blushed, realizing she was getting too cuddly.  She started to pull back when she felt his hand on her arm.

“Don’t hold on loosely, you’ll fall off.”  He warned.  “You’re not going to hurt me, hold on tight.”

“Right…”  She whispered, squeezing him a little tighter than before.

“There you go.”  He kicked the stand back in.

She said, “Thank you,” but it was lost under the roar of the bike starting up and taking off.


	17. Pole-Knocking

Cressa had started joining the group when they walked to school.  Now it was starting to turn into a pretty big crowd.  Her, Tsuna, Gokudera, Yamamoto, Cressa, and whichever of the kids followed.

At the gate of the school, Kusakabe walked up and smiled at Seiko.  “Good morning Seiko-chan.”  He glared at the others.  “Students.”

Seiko waved her hand.  “Be nice.  What do you need?”

Tsuna gasped.  “How involved with the prefects are you?”

“Not very, why?”  Seiko casually answered.

Kusakabe asked, “The Discipline committee is preparing everything for the athletic fest.  Are you going to be with one of the groups this year?”

“I don’t think so.”  Seiko stated.

Cressa pressed against Gokudera. “I wanna be on his team.”

Kusukabe grinned.  “Then do you want to assist us in watching over?”

“Um…”  She tipped her head.  “Why?  Is Hibari putting you up to this?”

“Well…”  Kusukabe started.

“It’s a simple question, just answer it.”  Hibari ordered from where he was leaning on the gate.

Seiko jumped and smiled.  “Good morning, Hibari-kun.”

Tsuna nearly fell off his feet.  “Did you just call him – “

The whole group seemed to be waiting for Hibari to attack her or something.  Seiko blinked while Hibari just snapped.  “Is that a yes or no?”

“Do you want me to?”  Seiko asked.

Hibari glared.  “I couldn’t care less what you do.”

She started to pout when she remembered what Yamamoto said about his reputation. She felt a nudge from behind.  Yamamoto pushed her forward and winked, “That’s great, you were just talking about wanting to help out with the festival, right?”

“Uh…but I –“

“Good.”  Hibari smirked and walked away from the gate.  “Then come with us.”

Seiko blushed and looked at Yamamoto.  “Thanks…”

Yamamoto looked back at the group who seemed to be in shock.  Tsuna was breathing hoarsely.  “That was the scariest moment of my life.  Why didn’t Hibari-san attack us?”

Yamamoto grinned.  “Cause…he’s a little preoccupied lately.”

Gokudera glared skeptically.  “I don’t trust anyone that would hang out with that guy.”

Reborn jumped on Tsuna’s shoulder.  “What do you think?  You’re the boss.”

Tsuna glared at Reborn.  “Seiko’s a nice girl.  I don’t know why she’s involved with Hibari at all.”

Reborn grinned.  Yamamoto did too.

There was a huge crowd forming outside of the school.  There were discipline committee members all over.  Seiko was walking alongside Hibari and asked. “So do you guys run everything?”

“This is my school.  I make sure nothing disturbs the order of it.”  Hibari casually answered.

Seiko smiled.  “You’re so serious about it.”

“It’s not a joking matter.”

“I know.”  She looked around to see that everyone was color coordinated for their teams, depending on whether they were A, B, or C.  Tsuna and everyone was on Team A.   She looked up at him.  “So do you not participate because you don’t want to work on a team?”

He hesitated to answer.  “Yes.”

When the athletic fest began, Hibari had guided her to a place that had a decent view over all of the activities, but was still a little distant from the crowd.

The first event was a race.  Yamamoto won it with ease.  Seiko let out a cheer, “Good job!”

“Cheering is for weaklings.” Hibari commented coolly.

Seiko crossed her arms.  “Acting cool is for herbivores.”

Hibari smirked.  “Nice response.”

Seiko was giggling.  “That was so abrupt, I didn’t even think about it at first.”

“You’re learning.”  

A moment later, Seiko heard cheering right behind her.  A girl had slipped through the span of D.C. members.  It was Leona.  “Yamamoto was so cool!”  She shouted.

Seiko nodded with a smile.  She remembered her saving Tsuna and Yamamoto before.  It was a good thing she was there that day or Yamamoto wouldn’t have even been here.

The next event was a pogo race.  Tsuna was competing…

…poorly.

“That guy is a joke.”  Hibari growled.

Seiko swatted his shoulder.  “Be nice!”

He glared at her, but didn’t say anything.

It was getting close to time for the main event when there was a big commotion down on the field.   Everyone was screaming at each other about Team A cheating and knocking out the leaders for Team B and C.

Leona gasped.  “They wouldn’t do that!”

Seiko glared.  “No joke.  I wonder what’s going on.”

Leona started for the field.  “I’ll teach them – “

“Stop.”  Seiko pulled her back.  “Let them work it out.”

Through the yelling and screaming, a voice came over the intercom and announced that Team B and C would unite against Team A to be fair.

Leona puffed her cheeks.  “That hardly sounds fair…”

Seiko nodded in agreement.  “Whose idea was that anyway?”

“I did it guys!”  Ryohei shouted, running up to his friends.

“Isn’t that Kyoko’s bother?”  Leona asked.

Seiko nodded.  “Yep.  Knucklehead.”

They watched as the members of B and C looked at each other, all asking the same question:  Who was going to be captain of the new combined team?

“Hold this.”  

Seiko looked over just as Hibari tossed her his jacket.  She caught it easily and stared at him.  “What?!  Are you doing it, Hibari-kun?”

“Yes.”

She sighed.  “Go easy on Tsuna, okay?  He’s a lot weaker than you are.”

Hibari glared at her over his shoulder.  “I’ll try not to send him to the hospital.”

Leona giggled.  “That didn’t sound too reassuring.”

Seiko watched as Hibari tottered up the pole and sat atop while the crowd moved towards the other where Tsuna was.  She was sure that Hibari could take him, but with that Deathsperation that sometimes came out, she was still a little concerned. 

It turns out that she didn’t need to be worried at all.  Before the poles even got close to each other, Team B/C was already yanking Tsuna off his pole.

But when he fell, he stripped to his boxers and Seiko saw the flame on his head.  His friends caught him and they started to charge through the other group.  “Uh-oh.”

“Go Yamamoto!”  Leona shouted, jumping up and down.

“Who are you cheering for?”

Seiko jumped and looked back at Reborn.  “H-huh?”

“I’m guessing not your friend Tsuna?”  He asked, a grin on his face.

Seiko looked down.  “Well, it’s not that I’m rooting against Tsuna…but…”

“Your loyalty is more tied with Hibari than Tsuna, no?”  Reborn questioned.

“No…not necessarily.  They’re both my friends.”  Seiko told him.  “But…I think that Tsuna could handle losing better than Hibari-kun.”

Reborn smiled.  “You know your friends well.”

Seiko nodded.  “I don’t have a family.  So they’re all I have.  I have to watch over them.”

“You’re wrong.”  Reborn informed.

Seiko blinked and looked back at him.

“You do have a family.  It starts with Tsuna and Hibari…and ends with Leona and Sophia.”  Reborn stated.

Seiko’s eyes widened.  “How did you know about?”

All of a sudden, Reborn was in a new disguise, marching off, pretending not to see her.

Seiko smiled and went back to watching the battle.  Tsuna and his group were close to Hibari’s pole, but all of a sudden, Gokudera and Ryohei were shouting at each other and left Yamamoto to hold Tsuna on his own.  They all ended up falling and never made it close to the pole. 

Seiko giggled.  Hibari would still be upset.

Once Tsuna and the others got back up, Team B/C started to taunt them.  Then it erupted into an all out fight between them and Tsuna’s group.

Leona and Seiko gasped, “Hey!”  The ran down the hill towards the groups to lend a hand.

Leona threw the first punch onto a guy who was going for Yamamoto’s back while tucked the jacket under her arm and pulled another guy off of Tsuna.  “Fight fair, assholes!”

A couple guys went for Cressa who had been in the crowd and Seiko went to take them out when a guy grabbed her from behind.  “Leggo!”  She shouted.

Suddenly the guy gagged and dropped to the ground.  She felt a new arm come around her and pull her close.  “Enough!”

Everyone stopped and stared at the person who was holding her.  She looked up to see Hibari glaring.  He smirked, but his voice was laced with malice.  “Anyone who continues to fight will be bitten to death.  Understand?”

Everyone looked at each other and bolted without a second thought.

Hibari set Seiko down.  “Are you okay?”

Seiko lifted up his jacket.  “It got a little dirty.”

Hibari smirked and wiped a smudge off her cheek.  “I know.”

Looking over, Seiko saw Reborn smiling at her.  That kid…


	18. Burdens

Seiko stumbled backwards and fell against the tree.  She groaned when she hit the ground.  “Ow…I feel like I’m just not getting any better.”

Hibari smirked.  “You’re not favoring your left side anymore…so you’re not as bad as you were.”

Seiko glared up at him.  “Gee, thanks.”

Hibari shrugged.  “You didn’t ask me to praise you, you asked me toughen you up.”

Seiko rubbed where  his tonfa had hit her shoulder.  “If anyone knew I was a girl, they would complain about you beating me up.”

“So get stronger so that they don’t.” Hibari challenge.

Seiko smirked.  “What do you think I’m trying to do?”

He smirked back and started to go for her again when a voice cut them off.

“Seiko!!!”

Seiko glared down the path that led to the street.  Cressa walked down it, weaving her way through bushes.  “There you are.  You know I have been looking all over town for you.”

She jumped when she saw Hibari.  “Ew.  You’re hanging out with delinquents still.”

Hibari glared at her.

Seiko sighed.  “What do you want?”

“I want to go shopping.  But I need you to join me because I don’t trust those nasty guys in malls.  I need you to be my body-guard again.”

Seiko rolled her eyes.  “I’m kind of busy.”

“Don’t care.  Whatever it is you’re doing…you can do later.”

Seiko sighed.  “When are you leaving?”

“I wanna be at the mall at two.  So two hours, okay?”  Cressa glared.  “Don’t be late.  I get cranky when I wait to shop.”

Seiko rolled her eyes.  “Whatever.”

She trotted back off.  Seiko looked at Hibari with an apologetic look.  He shrugged.  “You’re the one that needs to train.”

“I know.”  Seiko went to get her stuff when she heard what sounded like the school’s anthem.  She looked back over her shoulder to see Hibari pull out his phone.

A few minutes later, he hung up.  “The baby needs a favor…”

“Reborn?”   Seiko asked.  She blinked.  “Wait, Reborn has your number?”

Hibari shrugged.  “I didn’t give it to him.”

“I don’t even have your number.”  She commented and then blushed.  That sounded horrible.  But it was weird to think that she never needed it cause they were always already together.

Hibari held out his hand.

Seiko stared a minute and then realized what he wanted.  She pulled her phone out of her back pocket and handed it to him.  He tossed his to her and she smiled to herself, trying not to make it obvious as she typed in her own number.

When they exchanged phones back, Seiko asked, “So what did Reborn want?”

“Apparently that little herbivore has killed someone and they want to get rid of the body.”  Hibari answered.

Seiko blinked.  “Tsuna?”  Then she started laughing.  “Has to be a joke.”

“Well, if I show up, then he owes me.”  Hibari stated.

Seiko trotted after him, keeping her stuff over her shoulder.  “I’ll go with you.”

“Alright.”

When the pulled up to Tsuna’s house, Hibari hopped off the bike before Seiko could even get her helmet off.  She watched him hop up to the window and climb into the room.  Seiko shook her head and scaled up behind him.  She sat on the sill.  “Why don’t you use the door like normal people, Hibari-kun?”

She looked over at the bed where the body was.  “Huh.”

Hibari smirked.  “Nice.  One shot through the heart.”

Reborn looked up at him.  “Can you dispose of it?”

“Yeah.” Hibari answered.

Tsuna gasped.  “What!?”

Reborn casually said, “Hibari is going to make it look as though the killing never happened.”

Hibari started back to the window.  “I’ll send the prefects over later.”

Seiko looked at Hibari skeptically.  “Do you have experience in this?”

Hibari smirked.

Seiko waved bye to the others and jumped off so that Hibari could jump out as well.  As soon as he landed on the ground beside her, she heard a shout from inside of the room.  It was Gokudera, “Stand aside boss!  I’ve had it with him!”

Dynamite flew out the window towards them.

“Wait!  Gokudera!  Seiko is – “

Hibari wrapped an arm around Seiko’s shoulders and pulled her around before knocking the dynamite right back up to window.  The explosion hit the side of the house and filled the room with smoke.

Tsuna looked out the window with wide eyes.  He saw Hibari glaring at him with hate filled eyes but Seiko was okay.  He let out a deep breath.

Reborn hopped up on what was left of the sill while they climbed on the bike and left.  “Interesting.”

Tsuna watched the bike speed off and then looked at Reborn.  “He protected her.”

Gokudera sat up and whined.  “I can’t believe I forgot she was down there!”

“You kinda owe Hibari now.”  Yamamoto joked.

Gokudera glared at him.  “Don’t joke like that!”

Hibari pulled up to Seiko’s apartment.  She slowly climbed off and tugged off the helmet.  He asked, “You sure you’ll be okay?”

Seiko nodded.  “I finally get to put all of your training to good use.”

He glared.  “I better not get a call that you were beaten up at the mall or I’m done helping you.”

She smiled.  “Don’t worry.  I’ll be fine.”

He stared at her, hesitating.

Seiko tipped her head.  “Something on your mind?”

He looked away.  “Call me or something when you get back home.  So I know that I don’t have to get back out to save you.”

Seiko smiled.  “I will.  Thank you.”  She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a brief hug.

He appeared flustered for a moment.  “Thanks for what?”

“Looking out for me.”

“I’m not.”

“Liar.”

He stared at her, kicked off his bike and sped off.

She grinned as she watched him go.  Oh yeah.  She was starting to figure him out.

It was relatively easy.  There were a few guys that challenged Cressa at the mall, but none were very strong.  In totally, she flipped thirteen guys on their backs and kicked three of them in the genitals.

It was a good day.

As they walked back home, Cressa sipped at her mango pineapple smoothie.  She looked at Seiko.  “Why didn’t you get something to drink?”

“I don’t have any money to spare.”  Seiko told her.  “I love that you bother to ask after we leave the mall.”

“You’re lucky I asked at all.”

“But you don’t care one bit.”

“That’s true.”

Seiko stopped at the door with her hands in her pockets.  “Anything else, Cressa?”

“Oh yeah.  I meant to tell you.  Dad is coming to town next week.”

Seiko’s eyes widened and then she looked away.  “Why do I care?”

“He wants to check up and make sure you’re still capable of doing your job.”  Cressa informed.  “To be sure he doesn’t need to replace you.”

Seiko looked down.  “Right.  But it’s like nine.  I’m going home.”

Cressa giggled.  “Don’t let any guys  beat you up cause you look like a little boy.”

Seiko glared and stormed back down the street.

Back at her apartment, she stopped next to the bike.  She smirked.  Really?  She couldn’t keep the smile off of her face as she opened the door.

Hibari glared at her from the couch.  “I was right, you didn’t feed them before leaving.”

Seiko crossed her arms.  “But I did.”

He didn’t say anything.  Just stared.

Seiko shut the door and took off her shoes.  “Why don’t you just say you were bored and didn’t have anything else to do?”

“Cause it’s not the truth.”

“Liar.”

“I got take out.  Figured you didn’t eat.”

“See.”

“Shut up.”


	19. Chapter 19

“That’s enough.”

Seiko collapsed, panting heavily.

Hibari looked at her curiously, putting the tonfas away.  “Why are you so worked up today?”

Seiko looked down.  “No reason in particular.”

“Look who’s the liar now.”

Seiko smirked and leaned back on her hands.  “Cressa informed me  that dad is coming to town this  week.”

Hibari stared at her.  “So?”

“He wants to evaluate me and find out if I’m capable of doing my job or if I need to be replaced.”

Hibari’s eyes narrowed.  “That’s…irritating.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.  You shouldn’t worry.  You’re strong enough.”  Hibari informed.  He walked up to her and held a hand out.  “Let’s get a bite to eat and relax.”

She took his hand and pulled herself up.  “Where at?”  She questioned.

“Anywhere you want.”  He told her, heading towards the street where the bike was.

“No preference.  Maybe just a ramen shop or something.  I’m not too hungry.”  She told him, grabbing the helmet and they both hopped on.

“Alright.”

Seiko stretched as she walked down the street.  One of the prefects had called Hibari out of nowhere with something important.  She had to tell him about fifty times to leave and help them or she was going to kick his butt herself.

He finally went.

But she smiled the whole way.  Just the fact that he wanted to stick close to her was enough to make her happy.

But when she walked by the Sushi shop, several people – Reborn and Tsuna’s friends went running out.  Seiko ducked in and saw Tsuna getting scolded.  Seiko asked, “What’s going on?”

Yamamoto’s dad growled.  “Hello Seiko-chan.  This kid was trying to scram without paying.”

Seiko gasped.  “Tsuna?”

Tsuna shook his head.  “No no!  Reborn took off!  He tricked me!”

Seiko sighed.  “That kid…”  Seiko walked up.  “I can vouch for him, Mr. Takeshi.  He’s a good guy, and telling the truth.”

“Hm…” Mr. Takeshi put him down.  “Alright, I’ll let it slide, since you know him.”  He then smiled at Seiko.  “So where’s your boyfriend?  You always come here with him.”

Seiko laughed.  “He’s not my boyfriend!”

“I disagree.”  He laughed.  

Tsuna looked at Seiko.  “You come here often?”

Seiko nodded.  “Yeah.  I think Hibari really likes Sushi.”

Tsuna gasped.  “H-Hibari?”

Seiko frowned.  “Why does everyone always react that way?”

Tsuna straightened up.  “I guess cause it’s a shock that he’d hang out with anyone.  He doesn’t even hang out with his own committee much.”

Seiko frowned.  “Oh…well…”

“But I’m not saying it’s bad!”  Tsuna corrected suddenly.  “I think it’s cool that you two get along.”  He chuckled a bit.  “I mean…now I’m not as afraid of him cause since you’re friends with me he hasn’t – “

“He’s nicer to you now?”

“I wouldn’t say nice…but…”

“Hey!”

Tsuna and Seiko looked up to see the same group eating from the buffet counter.  They gasped and ran out.

Mr. Takeshi sighed.  “I can’t…cover you for all of that…that was…  almost six hundred dollars worth of food.”

Seiko gasped.  “Seriously!?”

Mr. Takeshi nodded.  “Yeah…”

Tsuna sighed.  “Looks like I gotta work this all off.”

Seiko smiled.  “I’ll help you!”

Shortly after Tsuna and Seiko started working in the kitchen, Yamamoto showed up.  He was laughing.  “Hey Tsuna, I heard you got duped by Reborn!”

Tsuna grumbled.  “It’s not funny…”

“Hey Seiko.”  Yamamoto smiled.  “Have a free day and felt like helping?”

She giggled.  “Yeah.”

“Where’s Hibari?”  He asked, automatically joining them.

“Something was going on with the prefects and he had to go settle it.  Don’t say it like we don’t have any life besides hanging out.”  She scolded.

Yamamoto laughed.  “Well, when  _ aren’t  _ you two together?”

She blushed.  “I don’t know…”

“Exactly.”

Then Gokudera showed up.  “I heard you got scammed by the Takeshi’s ruthless business practices!”

“Hey!”  Yamamoto glared.

Seiko laughed while everyone pitched in together to get the money paid off.

Several hours later, they had done enough to cover what was eaten.  

Tsuna smiled when Gokudera cheered.  “Let’s just finish this last round and then we can all go home.”

Yamamoto laughed.  “Don’t worry, Tsuna, we can get it.”

“I know, but I owe your dad for being so nice.”  Tsuna stated.

Seiko giggled until they heard Mr. Takeshi talking to someone just outside the kitchen.

“Yes, she’s here.  She’s in the back, helping her friends pay off their bill.”

They all looked over as Mr. Takeshi walked in with Hibari behind him.  Everyone but Seiko stiffened and stared in awe.

Hibari paused before asking, “Are you almost done?”

Tsuna was gasping for breath like a beached whale.  Was he ever going to get over his fear of Hibari?  Seiko nodded.  “We just have a few more.  It’ll be like five minutes.”

“Actually.  We were just talking.  Tsuna and I were going to finish up the dishes.  Seiko was just on her way out.”  Yamamoto corrected.  He motioned to Seiko to leave.

She sighed and dried off her hands.  “Let me get my stuff.  It’s under the counter.”  She stated, trotting out.

Hibari glared at Tsuna after she went through.  “You’re lucky she’s so nice.”

Tsuna nodded, still unable to breathe.

His glare intensified.  “Don’t ever drag her into your mischief herbivore.”

He nodded again.

Hibari left.

Yamamoto whistled.  “He sure is protective.”

Tsuna collapsed while foaming at the mouth with fear.

Gokudera gasped.  “Boss!”

Mr. Takeshi walked back in.  “Yamamoto.  Your favorite customer is here.”

He looked up at the clock.  “Really?  She’s early.”

Seiko grabbed her stuff and trotted over to Hibari who was waiting.  He took her bag and opened the door just as Leona skipped in.  “Oh!  Hi Seiko-sama.”

Seiko smiled.  “You eat here a lot, too?”

Leona fiddled with her thumbs.  “Um….yeah…”  She blushed brightly and slipped on by.  “See you later, Seiko-sama!”

Seiko smirked and shook her head.  “That girl is strange…”

“All of them are.”  Hibari commented.

Seiko looked up at him.  “So was everything okay with the prefects?”

“It’s fine.”  He stated coolly.  “Just a squabble.”

“How did you know I was here?”  Seiko asked.

“You weren’t home.  Process of elimination.”  He stated casually, putting the helmet on her head.

“So…you were looking for me.”  She assumed.

“I didn’t put any particular effort into it.”

“Alright.”  Seiko stated, smiling under the helmet as she got on the bike behind him.  She slipped her arms around him and rested against his back.  His lies were getting so much easier to read.


	20. Chapter 20

Seiko stood in front of the door to her own house.  The one she was supposed to live in and belong to.  She’d gotten a text from Cressa.

Today was the day.

Tsuna and Gokudera exchanged looks as they walked through the gates to school the next day.  Gokudera whispered, avoiding eye contact with all the delinquents, “We didn’t see Seiko on the way to school today.”

“Yeah, that’s not like her.”  Yamamoto commented.

“Even Cressa had been coming along.”  Tsuna agreed.

“Do you think she’s sick?” Gokudera asked.

Reborn hopped down on Yamamoto’s head.  “Why not ask Hibari?”

“Are you crazy!?”  Tsuna shouted.  “He wouldn’t answer us, and then would probably beat us up for it afterwards.”

“As the boss, you’re required to take such risks.”  Reborn scolded.

Tsuna shook his head.  “Maybe after class. ”

Halfway during class, the door flew open.

Tsuna looked over to see Hibari glaring at him.  Tsuna gulped.  “Wh-what does Hibari-san want?”

The teacher asked, “Do you need something Hibari?”

“No.”  He growled, marching through class.  “Continue teaching.”  He grabbed Tsuna’s collar and dragged him out kicking and screaming.

He threw him against the wall after shutting the door and demanded, “Did Seiko tell you anything about not coming to school?”

Tsuna was breathing hard and stuttered.  “N-n-n-no.  Sh-she didn’t.  I figured you’d know.”

Reborn appeared suddenly from the wall.  “It appears a member of our family is missing.  You two should work together to find her.”

“Maybe she’s just sick.  Right?  Not a big deal?”  Tsuna suggested.

Hibari glared at him.  “Useless herbivore.”  He stormed off.

Reborn looked at Tsuna.  “You should find her.  If Hibari finds her first and she’s in trouble, you know who he’ll blame.”

“Why me!?”  Tsuna whined, getting his stuff and running out.

Seiko sat silently while the family exchanged pleasantries.  Her place was on Cressa’s right side, watching all who advanced.  Her job was to know immediately who was a threat and who was not.

Their aunts and uncles and grandparents were all there.  Their father sat across from them.

He wore a suit and his black hair was brushed back except for the white strands that fell over in his face.  Despite his age, he was strong built and looked ready to jump into action at any moment.  He sat quietly with his eyes closed.

After the family was finished, they all sat around the table and waited for the meeting to begin.  They started by discussing where the family was at and what the current situation was.   Several times Cressa tried to say something, but Father shushed her every time.

Alas, their grandmother, who looked so old that she could crumble any moment, asked, “Daiya.  How is Cressa coming along to become head?”

His dark red eyes fell upon Cressa.  “Luckily, it will be some time before I will step down.  There’s a lot of training left that needs to be done.”

Cressa looked down.

Seiko almost opened her mouth to say something, but their grandmother changed subject too quickly.  “What about the family’s current rankings?  Is there…anything that needs to be changed?”

All gazes fell upon Seiko.

Seiko sat up straighter as Daiya said, “That’s what we’re here to do.  We’re going to test and see if this combination is working out.  As we all know, the most important roles in the family is protecting the leader and the heir.  Nothing else matters.  If you fail, Seiko, you will be replaced.”

Her skin crawled.  “I know.”

Tsuna stopped suddenly when he saw Hibari walking out of the apartment.  Tsuna gulped.  “She’s not home?”

“No.”  Hibari growled, starting to walk by him when he stopped.

Tsuna turned to see Gokudera and Yamamoto walk up as well.  Gokudera commented, “You know, Cressa is gone, too.  Think it’s a family issue?”

Hibari’s eyes widened a moment as though remembering something.

Yamamoto looked at the others.  “Cressa and Seiko don’t live together.  Anyone know where Cressa’s house is?”

Reborn appeared suddenly, wearing a duck suit as he waddled along the sidewalk.  “Follow me.”

Leona walked up behind a large crowd that was forming just outside of Namimori Park.  She felt ice in the air trickle down her back and it made her skin crawl with disgust.  Her eyes fell on Sophia.  “You’re here, too?”

Sophia glared at her.  “Yeah.  Why are you?”

Leona felt the air crackle between them and it made her recoil.  “I’m here, because I sensed that I needed to be.”

Sophia looked her up and down and then scoffed.  “This has nothing to do with someone as low ranking as you.”

Leona’s lip curled up in a snarl.  “Watch your tongue you pampered princess.”

Sophia started to retort when someone started shouting.  They both looked over to see Yamamoto, Tsuna, Gokudera, and Hibari walk up.

Yamamoto looked at Leona.  “Hey, what’s going on?  What’s this crowd for?”

“Um…”  Leona stumbled, not sure what she could tell him.

A guy was standing in front of the both of them.  He was bulky but he had blonde hair with black streaks.  His eyes were ice blue.  They were narrowed on their group, but they had a playful twinkle to them.  “If you’re civilians, I’d suggest leaving.  This place is about to get dangerous.”

Sophia looked at the guy.  “Do you think Daiya is going to make the test hard?”

“What test?  Who’s Daiya?”  Tsuna asked.

Leona looked at the guy.  “Can we tell him?”

The guy shrugged.  “It’s not like we’re keeping it a secret.  Most people won’t believe us.  Or would freak out.  Up to you.”

Leona looked at Yamamoto and the others.  “Um…”  Her gaze fell on Reborn.  “You said you were with the mafia, right?”

“Yes.”  Reborn stated.

Leona shifted her foot.  “Well, there’s a web of families that works kind of like the mafia, but we’re all connected by something else.  Not gangs.  One of the highest ranking families is the Himura.  Daiya is the head of that family.”

Tsuna whined.  “Not more of this nonsense!”

Leona looked back through the crowd.  “Cressa is his daughter and next in line.”

Gokudera and Yamamoto gasped.  “No way!”

Sophia narrowed her eyes.  “That’s why Seiko is in charge of protecting her.  It’s necessary for the survival of the family.  This test is to see if she’s capable of her role…”  She looked back through the crowd.  “…or if she needs to be replaced.”

“That’s kind of harsh.  Replaced by her own family?”  Tsuna asked.

“It’s how we work.”  Sophia stated calmly.

“Are you part of the Himura family?”  Yamamoto asked.

Sophia laughed and shook her head.  “No-no.”

Gokudera nudged them forward.  “Let’s get a closer look, I want to see what this test is going to be.”

Reborn tucked his hat down.  “I have a bad feeling about this…”

They weaved through the crowd until they were almost to the very front.  From where they were, they could see three people in the middle of the park, exchanging words, some sharper than others.


	21. Chapter 21

Seiko looked around the park, her eyes wide.  “Why are we here?”

“This is where you will take your test.” Daiya told her, pulling off his jacket.

Seiko stared at him.  “But there’s civilians walking through this park.  There’s too high of a risk that they’ll be involved.”

Daiya laughed.  “Are you really questioning the point of this?”

“Huh?” Seiko asked.

“When defending our leader, as you would be if you pass this test, your attacks will usually be amongst civilians.  You need to know how to protect them as well.  That’s your job.”

Seiko gritted her teeth.  Of course she knew that.  She glared up at him but suddenly her voice caught in her throat.  “Wait.  My test…am I…”

“Defending her from me?  Yes.”  Daiya stated, pulling gloves on while glaring at her.  “In real life you’d never even get this much warning of an attack.  So you already have a bit of an upper hand.  There’s no reason you should fail.”  He smirked.  “Unless of course, you’re not suited.”

“But I – “

“Begin.”

Seiko’s eyes widened when he was gone in a moment.  Cressa pressed herself to Seiko’s back.  “What’s he doing?”

“Were you not just listening?”

Cressa shook her head.  “I saw Gokudera in the crowd.  I zoned out.”

“You what?”

“Gokudera and all of those losers that he hangs out with are here.”  She pointed past Seiko to the crowd.  “See?”

Seiko’s eyes just barely glazed over the familiar group.   When her gaze brushed over Hibari, she looked away immediately.  This was too embarrassing.  How did they wind up here out of all the places they could be?

She didn’t want them to see this.

“You’re not even starting off focused.”  

Seiko’s eyes widened when she heard Daiya’s voice before he appeared beside them.  Seiko shoved Cressa back and jumped out of the way before his punch could hit either of them.

His fist hit the ground so hard that the earth split and sent splinters of rocks and dirt up at them.  He turned his head to glare at her.  “The point of protecting her is to never let the enemy between the two of you.”

Seiko gasped as he turned back towards Cressa.  If he got to her, then she’d fail the test!

That was the only think Seiko had to her advantage.  She was faster than her bulky father.  She raced past him and had just barely gotten between him and Cressa.  His fist slammed right into her stomach and sent her flying into a tree.  She hit is so hard that the trunk bent at the impact.

She slid down, gasping in pain.

All of her training sessions with Hibari were nothing to this.

She struggled to get to her feet.

Cressa was still sitting where Seiko had pushed her down.  She shouted, “What are you doing, Seiko!?  Get back over here and protect me!”

Seiko glared at her.  “Don’t you think…”  She struggled to get back to her feet.  “I would…if I could…?”

Daiya sighed.  “This is pathetic.”  He walked over to Cressa and lifted her up by the hair.  “I’m not even trying.  You’ve already lost this test.”

Seiko shook her head.  “I don’t think so.”

“Remember, the test isn’t to beat me.”  Daiya informed while Cressa screamed that he was hurting her.  “It’s to prove whether or not you can protect our heiress.  And she’s already in my clutches.”

Seiko started to say something.

But she was struck when he punched Cressa as hard as he could and sent her flying into the lake.  She choked as she struggled to get back to the surface.  She gasped and crawled out, spitting up blood.  She was shaking and crying.  She screamed at him, “Why did you do that!?  Dad?”

Daiya laughed.  He turned to Seiko.  “If I was a real enemy, that would have been a gun.  And she’d be dead.”

Cressa stared at Seiko expectantly, her eyes watering.

Seiko felt her throat swell up.  She really was a failure.

“I don’t know how much more of this I can watch…” Gokudera commented.

“Why…why did he hit his own daughter like that?” Tsuna gasped.  “She…couldn’t even defend herself.”

Reborn tsk’d.  “Every family is different Tsuna.  Daiya is much tougher on his family than I have ever been on my students.”

Yamamoto nodded absently.  “ This is just cruel.. .”

Leona glanced at him and then commented.  “Well, Sophia?”

Sophia crossed her arms.  “Looks like the Himura are going to be changing ranks.  What a let down…I thought…”

“Me too…”  Leona whispered.

Daiya picked back up on his laughter, making everyone look back at him.  He shouted, “I suppose though, she isn’t dead.  In that form of speaking, you haven’t lost yet.  I’ll give you another shot.”

Tsuna stared with wide eyes.  “He’s talking like…this is just some game.”

Daiya started walking back towards Cressa.

Sophia’s hands clenched on her arms.  “This is going to end badly.”

“I thought he wouldn’t do this in front of the whole family.”  The guy in front of them stated.

“Do what?”  Yamamoto asked.

“He tends to overreact to failure.”  The guy informed.  “To him, both of them have always been failures.”

Seiko shouted, “No stop!  Leave her alone!  Just because I’ve failed doesn’t mean you have to hit her anymore!”

Cressa crawled back into the water.  “Y-yeah, Dad.  L-listen to her!  Don’t take your anger at her out on me!”

Daiya’s eyes darkened as he cracked his knuckles.  “You’re both pathetic.”

Cressa screamed but Seiko dove at Daiya.  She thought she had gotten there fast enough to surprise him, but he moved aside and caught her collar, yanking her into the air. She felt her breath leave when the collar cut off air flow and then she felt herself be flipped in the air and then she felt the sickening crunch as she was slammed into the ground and his elbow dropped on her chest.

She felt and heard the simultaneous breaking of three or four ribs.

An unconscious scream left her throat.

“Saigon.”

The guy with blonde hair looked over as Tsuna and everyone else stared with looks of horror and shock.

Leona felt like she was going to puke.

A guy in a suit walked up to him.  “Saigon, let’s leave.  There’s no reason to watch this.  Your kids should be spared seeing this.”

“You’re right.  I don’t want them to see their uncle’s dark side so early.”

Leona’s eyes widened at the same time Sophia gasped.  “You’re Saigon?  Daiya’s brother?”

Saigon nodded and flicked his hand.  “See you guys later.”  His eyes brushed over the rest of the group.  “I’d highly suggest leaving now.  It’s about to get ugly.”

Leona swallowed a lump in her throat.  “It already has.”

Reborn pulled on Tsuna’s ear.  “What are you going to do?”

“W-we can’t get involved.”  Tsuna stuttered.  “This is a family affair.”

Reborn frowned and went back to watching.

Seiko rolled over on her side, coughing up blood.  Every time she breathed, she felt she was being stabbed with a dagger in the chest.  She’d never endured something so painful before.  She looked up, seeing her father’s hate-filled eyes on her.

“You’re worthless.”  He stated, raising his fist.  “Be gone.”

He slammed his fist down.


	22. Chapter 22

Seiko had cringed and tensed up, waiting for the hit, but it never came.  She opened one eye to look at what had happened but gasped when the scene unfolded before her.

Daiya’s punch had been stopped.

By Hibari’s tonfa.

Daiya’s eyes narrowed.  “Who the hell are you?”

Hibari glared at him, both of them still struggling, pushing their weight against each other.  “That doesn’t matter.”

Daiya moved back and they both stepped away from each other, but Hibari stayed close to Seiko.  Daiya growled.  “Do you understand that you’ve just committed yourself to death?”

Hibari didn’t even flinch.  “I’m not concerned.”

Daiya glanced at the crowd, seeing that all eyes were wide on them.  Deciding it best not to kill in front of so many young kids, he walked back to his jacket.  “Tell me.  Why did you protect her?  If a person doesn’t have a use, then there’s no reason for them to exist.”

Hibari kept glaring, never once letting down his guard.

Daiya buttoned the jacket back up.  “No matter.  The test has been failed either way.  I’ll replace her tomorrow.  Cressa.  Come now.  We’re going home.”

“O-okay…”  She slowly got up, holding her aching chest and stumbled after him while he parted the  crowd .  They slowly followed behind.

Tsuna and the rest of the group headed over to them while Hibari kneeled down.  “Can you get up?”

Seiko slowly pushed herself up.  “Yeah…”  She brushed a hand through her hair and gasped when she pulled it away blood-soaked.  Maybe it wasn’t just her ribs she heard crack.

Tsuna said, “We should get you to a hospital.”

“No.  I’m fine.”

“Fine!?”  Gokudera shouted.  “You’re not fine!  You’re bleeding!”

Seiko shook her head.  “It’s not as bad as it looks.”  Her gaze traveled to Sophia and Leona.  “What are you guys doing here?”

The air grew twenty pounds heavier.  Leona looked away.  “Just passing by.”

Seiko glanced back and saw that Hibari was becoming frustrated.  He stood up and glared at the others.  “It’s not necessary for any of you to be here anymore.  Leave.  Now.”

Tsuna started backing up.  “Why are you so mad all of a sudden?”

His glare intensified.

Tsuna let out a girly screech and he pulled the others back.  They decided as well, that it was for their better judgment to listen.

But Sophia and Leona stayed a moment longer.  Sophia narrowed her gaze on Seiko.  “When you’re able to…we need to talk.  And it needs to be soon.  Before it’s too late.”

Seiko nodded.

Leona and Sophia disappeared without another comment.

Hibari knelt back down to her.  “Can you walk?”

“I think so.”  Seiko stated, starting to lift herself up.  Hibari stayed close, letting her use him as support.  

He glared at her.  “Why didn’t you tell me this was today?”

“I…didn’t want you to see me fail.”  Seiko whispered.  “I knew I wasn’t ready for this.  I don’t have any desire to protect her whatsoever.”

Hibari helped her walk out of the park and down the street.  “So you went into this, knowing you’d fail?”

“Yeah.”  She whispered.

“That’s pathetic.”  He snapped.  “Then what have I been wasting all of my time on, training you?”  He shouted at her.

Seiko cringed.  “You’re mad.”

“Yes.  I am.”  He growled.  “You never had any desire to get any stronger.  I was wrong about you.”

“No.  I never said that.”  Seiko shouted at him.  “You’re taking this out of context!”

“Am I?”  Hibari snapped back.  “Then put it back in context for me.”

“I want to be stronger, not for Cressa, but for me.  Because the people I really want to protect…”  Seiko paused and her face flushed.  “Are people that matter to me.  Like you…and Tsuna and the others.”   She pulled away from Hibari.  “The people that actually care about me.  My real family.  That’s why you’ve been training me!  I do want to be stronger!  But not for them!  I don’t give a shit about them!”

Hibari stared at her a second and then smirked.  “That’s what I like to hear.”

Seiko smiled as Hibari put his arm back around her and helped her the rest of the way to the apartment.  He gently set her down on the couch.  “We got first aid supplies when you got injured during our first session.  Where’d you put them?”

“Bathroom cabinet.”  Seiko answered wincing when Pyro jumped on her and made a nerve pinch under her ribs.

Hibari came back out a moment later with alcohol, peroxide, and a bunch of other stuff.  “Turn around.”

She did as she was told and he clipped up her hair so that he could treat the cut on the back of her head.

“Yeah.  It’s not that bad.  I don’t see why you were whining.”

Seiko glared but didn’t risk turning her head so he could see it.  “Jerk.”

She winced when he poured some of the peroxide on it.  After suffering through the rest of it, he had her head wrapped up and not quite as good as new.

While putting everything up, he commented, “I don’t see why this is so bad then.  You don’t want anything to do with your family and now you don’t have to worry about Cressa.  Isn’t it better this way?  Them replacing you?”

Seiko stared at her feet where Icil was rolling on her toes.  “I…”

Hibari was drying off his hands.  “Hm?”

“When…”  Seiko stared up at him now, and just spit it out.  “When they say replace me, they’re not talking about my position.”

Hibari’s eyes widened as he started to comprehend.

Seiko choked on her next words.  “He’s talking about my existence.  If I’m useless to the family, then I’m more of a hazard to them.  When he said he would replace me tomorrow…”

“He’s going to come kill you.”

“Yeah.”  Seiko whispered.  She went to look back down when she noticed the huge bruise forming along Hibari’s arm.  “He’s strong…isn’t he?”

He followed her gaze to his own arm.  “Kind of…”  He stated casually.  “He surprised me, is all.”

“You probably sprained it.”  Seiko informed.

“Not bad enough to effect it.”  He brushed her off.  “Don’t worry about me.  Focus on your own recovery.”  He went into the kitchen as she lay back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling.

“Hibari-kun…”

“Hm?”  He asked.

“I want you to leave soon.”

She was answered with silence.

“I don’t want you here tomorrow.”  She finished.

“Are you sure?”

“…yeah…”

Tsuna sighed, staring out the window.

Reborn hopped up on the sill.  “What’s wrong, Stupid-Tsuna?”

“I keep thinking about Seiko and her family.”  He commented.  “That’s so twisted.  What they did to her, I mean.”

“Different families have different practices.”

“But…”  Tsuna started.

“But what?”

“Is Seiko going to be okay?  I know that Hibari-san said it was none of our business, but I feel like I need to do something.”

“You should feel that way.  She’s part of your family.”

Tsuna groaned.  “No she’s not!  We’re not making a mafia-family.”

“You’re right, it’s making itself.”  Reborn corrected.  “Maybe you should go visit and see if there’s anything you can do.”

Tsuna paused and then looked up.  “It couldn’t hurt to visit Seiko just to check up on her, right?”

Reborn nodded.


	23. Chapter 23

Tsuna took a deep breath and knocked on Seiko’s front door.

He jumped in surprise when the door was opened by Hibari.  “What do you want?”

Tsuna stuttered. “I-I didn’t know that you’d…”  He shook away the fear and asked, “I wanted to know if there was anything at all I could do to help.”

Hibari paused, glancing back inside.  Tsuna saw around him that Seiko was asleep on the couch.  “Yes.  There’s something.”

“What?”  Tsuna asked, shocked that Hibari hadn’t just hit him and ordered him to leave.

“Go back to her house.  Tell them that Seiko wants a rematch with Daiya.”

Tsuna gaped.  “What?  Why?  If she’s already injured – “

“Don’t question, herbivore, just do it.”  Hibari snapped.  “He won’t be fighting Seiko.”

“Then who – “  Then Tsuna understood.  He had taken personally what happened today and planned to avenge Seiko’s loss. But from what he saw, Daiya was just as strong as Hibari.  Tsuna pursed his lips and nodded.  “Okay.  I will.”

Daiya had his arms crossed as he stood in the park.  Several members of the family had followed out of curiosity.  Tsuna, reluctantly was standing by him.  Daiay growled.  “This has got to be some kind of joke.  She can’t come back and think she can beat me.  Either way, the test was failed.”

Tsuna swallowed hard and looked around.  Hibari wasn’t here.  Had he just gotten suckered into some trick?

No.  Hibari had been serious.

Just then, Tsuna heard a motorcycle stop and Hibari walked up the path.  Daiya’s eyes narrowed.  “What is this?  Where is Seiko?”

“Your opponent isn’t her.”  Hibari informed coolly.

Daiya growled.  “Do you have any idea what you’re messing with?  None of this is any of your business.”

“No.”  Hibari snapped.  “But I couldn’t care less what your excuse is.  You’re not taking her life.”

Tsuna’s eyes widened.  “What?”

Daiya grinned.  “And you’re going to stop me?”

Hibari retorted.  “Your test was about protecting a person against impossible odds.  I have my doubts that even you’re able to pass your own test.”

Daiya’s eyes widened.  “Excuse me?”

Hibari pulled out his tonfas.  “I want to test you myself.  I’ll prove you to be a hypocrite to your own abilities.  Can you even protect a person against someone in a one on one fight?”

Daiya laughed.  “You’re pretty confident.  Fine.  I’ll accept your challenge.”

“There’s terms.”  Hibari informed.

“Name them.”  Daiya smirked, arms crossed.

“If I win, you have to pass Seiko on her test on the terms that your conditions were unfair.”  Hibari growled.

“And when  _ I _  win?”  Daiya asked.  “What do I get?”

“Whatever you want.”

Daiya chuckled.  “I’ll figure that out while we fight.  I’ll be satisfied with the pleasure of killing you.  So who am I protecting?”

Hibari pointed behind him to Tsuna.  “Him.”

Tsuna gasped.  “Why me!?”

“Cause I have no problem hitting you.”

“Fine.”  Daiya grinned.  “Let’s start.”

Seiko woke up and slowly lifted herself up.  Her body ached so much that she felt like crying.  She looked around and saw the kittens running around like usual.

Something felt wrong.

Then she remembered.  She had told Hibari to leave so he wouldn’t be here when Daiya came to finish her off.

She stumbled around her apartment, holding her aching ribs.  “God…I’m almost glad…it’s only for a little longer.”

Her heart skipped when she heard a knocking on her door.

Slowly, she opened it.

It was Sophia.  Instantly, that crackle in the air crawled over her skin and she almost slammed the door in her face.  “How did you know this is where – “

“I followed you and Hibari yesterday.  Listen…about your test…”

Seiko looked away.  “I don’t want to talk about it…”

She nearly shut the door, but Sophia caught it.  “Wait.  I have something to say.”  Seiko looked at her, frustration growing in her eyes.  Sophia asked, “Do you really intend to let Daiya kill you?  Without fighting back?”

“Of course I do.  Why shouldn’t I?”  Seiko asked.  “I’m not needed.”

“You’re wrong.”  Sophia growled.  “In fact…you’re so important to a particular person…he’s intended to take your place.”

Seiko’s eyes widened.  “Wh-what!?  Why!?”

“Beats the shit out of me.  He’s your boyfriend.”  Sophia retorted.

Seiko rushed ignoring the pain, to get her shoes.  “He’s not my boyfriend!”  She screamed.  She ran right by Sophia and down the street, not caring that she was just in her long white pajama dress.

She felt her eyes burn as she ran.   _ Hibari…you idiot…! _

Seiko found her way to the crowd and she pushed through until she got to the front.  She just happened to step up beside Cressa.  She glared at Seiko.  “Why is that delinquent fighting dad?”

“Good question.”  Seiko stated.  She looked over to see Tsuna standing there.  “What’s going on?”

Reborn walked up to her.  “Tsuna wanted to help, too.”

“Help?”  Seiko repeated.  “Help what!?  What’s going on?”

“Hibari had a brilliant point.”  Reborn explained.  “He challenged that Daiya’s test was invalid if it was something that he himself couldn’t even do.”  Reborn turned to watch the fight.  “Now all that is necessary is for Hibari to suddenly become stronger than Daiya so that he can hit Tsuna and prove that no matter how strong you are, it’s impossible to completely protect someone all the time.”

“So the challenge is the same as mine?”  Seiko asked.  “Only Tsuna is the one being ‘protected’?”

Reborn nodded.

“So…if…anything were to happen to Tsuna…”  Seiko asked.

“Then Daiya will have lost the challenge.”

Seiko withdrew into the crowd.  She moved between them, all the while, keeping her eyes on Daiya and Hibari.  Her gut wrenched every time blows met.  She hated the fact that it seemed not even Hibari was strong enough to take on her father.  But that was okay…he didn’t need to be.

He just had to last a little longer.  She pickpocketed one of her family members for their knife and snuck up behind Tsuna.  She grabbed his shoulder and pressed the blade to his neck.  “Sorry, Tsuna.  But this is the only way to win.”

“Wait you’re not gonna – “

Hibari saw Seiko and Tsuna and smirked.

Daiya snarled at Hibari.  “For a child, you’re resilient, but your strength is still nothing compared to mine!”

Hibari withdrew his tonfas, saying, “That’s fine, I don’t have to be.  You’ve already lost.”  He took a full force hit to the face before Daiya turned around, his eyes wide.  “What!?”

Seiko glared at her father.  “See?  Even you still get caught up in things like pride.  You lost sight of what you were supposed to be doing!”  She tried to stay focused on standing up to her father, but her eyes kept worriedly darting over to Hibari who wasn’t moving.

Daiya’s eye was twitching with rage and he clenched his hands into fists.  “I…!”  He dropped to his knees.  “Lost…”  He took a big breath.  “All the boasting in the world can’t make up for my own imperfections…”  He sighed.  “Fine, Seiko.  You can continue to guard your sister…to the best of your ability.”

Seiko let go of Tsuna who collapsed to his knees as well.  But Seiko rushed right past her father, shouting, “Hibari-kun!”

She slid down next to him and lifted his head a bit.  He had a huge gash on the side of his face and an even bigger bruise.  He winced before opening one eye.  “Nice of you to show up.”

She glared at him.  “You left and did this while I was asleep, you jerk!”  She wanted to hit him so hard, but instead she stroked his face and nearly started crying.  “Why would you do something so reckless and stupid?”

“I told you, I just have a weakness for small animals.”  He stated.

“This has nothing to do with the kittens.”  Seiko argued.

“I wasn’t talking about them.”  He told her .

“I’m not a small animal…or an herbivore.”  Seiko retorted, wiping some of the blood off of his face.

“You’re right.”  Hibari smirked.  “You proved that today.”

“Don’t do this again, okay?”  Seiko asked.

“Fine…but in return…”

“Huh?”

“Let me do the fighting for you for a while.”  His voice grew quieter with each word, like he was afraid someone was listening.  “For the first time in my life, today, I was afraid.”

“Of Daiya?”

“No.  Of losing you.”

Seiko’s eyes widened and her face erupted in a blush.  “H-Hibari-kun…”

He smirked.  “You look ridiculous right now…”

She smiled softly.  “…You’re a jerk.”  And she gently kissed him.

To her surprise, he kissed back.


	24. Chapter 24

Within a few weeks, everything was back to normal.  Seiko was fully recovered and Hibari only had the tiniest hit of a cut left on the right side of his face.  She couldn’t help but tease him about it every time she could.

Today, she had walked with Tsuna and the others to school, but when she saw Hibari at the gate, she had taken off with him until the beginning of class.

During class, Lambo had come to the door, claiming that his zipper was stuck and he needed help.  Seiko giggled.  Poor Tsuna was probably so embarrassed.

Cress grumbled.  “What a loser.”

Seiko rolled her eyes.

After class, Reborn suggested getting a baby sitter.  Tsuna was all for the idea, until Reborn took him to Gokudera and Yamamoto.  Seiko watched them from the picnic area as they competed to see who would be the better ‘sitter’.

“Your friends are weird.”

Seiko looked over to see Cressa sit down.  “I thought you liked Gokudera?”

Cressa flicked her hand.  “Totally new hottie in town.  I hooked up with him yesterday.  He’s gonna meet me here and take me on a date.”

“And you’re not dragging me along for once?”  Seiko asked hopefully.

“Hell no.  You’re socially awkward.”

Seiko smirked a bit. It was good things were back to normal, but sometimes she wished that Cressa could have been sent away after the battle.  Her family had gone back to the western states.  She really wished that had included her.

A loud honk made Seiko jump.  She glared as Cressa waved and giggled.  “That’s for me.”  She bolted to the gate.  “I’m out of here!  Hopefully to get laid tonight!”

Seiko rolled her eyes.  Disgusting freak.  When she went to turn back around to watch Tsuna and the others, she caught a flash of something black behind the tree that cast a shadow over her bench.  She got up and circled around it, smiling when she saw Hibari snoozing.

He sure slept a lot.

She knelt down beside him and relaxed.  He’d wake up after a bit.

A few minutes later, in fact, he did.  He looked at her curiously.

She leaned down and kissed his nose.  “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

He glared before wrapping his arms around and pulling  her  down while rolling over, snuggling up to her like a teddy bear.

Seiko growled.  “Hey, let go!  I’m not tired like you are!”

He just ignored her.  Seiko struggled, trying to wiggle away.  “Hiba-kun~”

“I don’t like being woken up.”  Hibari growled.

Seiko grumbled.  “Yeah, I know, you’ve said it a million times.  I wasn’t trying to wake you up.”  She gave up and went limp.  “Why are you sleeping under the tree anyway?  Why not just go home?”

He went quiet.

So what was it that he didn’t want to admit to?

He asked, “Are you going home now?  Or are they not done messing around.”

Seiko smiled when she got it.  “Aw, you were waiting on me.”

“No.  I wasn’t.”  He retorted quickly.  “I just happened to have wanted to take a nap and leave when you did.”

“Liar.”  Seiko teased.   She sat up and said, “But in case you were interested, I was on my way home.”

Hibari grumbled as he got up and held his hand out to her.  She took it and pulled herself up as well before they headed home.

On their way down the street, a familiar bob of white hair skipped up to them.  Leona grinned and said, “Good afternoon, Seiko-sama.”

Seiko smiled.  “As to you, Leona.  Why weren’t you at school?”

“I had a bunch of stuff to do today.” Leona confessed.  “So I stayed home to take care of it.”

“Low attendance is a poor reflection on the school.”  Hibari growled lowly.

Seiko elbowed him.  “Be nice!  I’m sure it was important.”

Leona shifted her weight from foot to foot.  “But hey, I was wondering…if you were busy?  I wanted…to talk to you about something.”

Seiko looked up at Hibari.  He shrugged.  “I’ll go feed the cats.”  He stated, marching on.

Seiko smiled awkwardly as she watched him go.  “He hates inconsistency.”

Leona made an awkward face.  “Come on, let’s get some shakes.”

Seiko sipped at her chocolate and strawberry shake.  “What were you wanting to discuss?”

“How are you and your family doing?”  Leona questioned, smiling.

“I don’t know.”  Seiko told her.  “We haven’t spoken a word since the test.”

“How much do you know?  About…why it was so important?”  Leona asked.  Seiko saw her gaze dart elsewhere before returning to her.

Seiko looked over, but didn’t see anything.   “What do you mean?”

“Protecting the heiress.  You know the importance of it, right?”  Leona asked.

Seiko sighed.  “I’ve never been considered part of the family.  They only told me that it was  so  and expecting me to do just that without objection.”

“Then…um…do you know about the gems?”  Leona questioned.

Seiko nodded.  “I know about their existence, but that’s as far as it goes.”

“Jeez…”  Leona puffed out a cheek.  “Well, you see…”

“Hey Leona…”

Both of them looked over as Sophia walked up.  She glared at the girl and again, Seiko felt her skin crawl as an electrical shock ran through the air.  Sohpia asked, “Do you really think it’s your place to tell Seiko about this?”

“Well…” Leona looked down, fiddling with her hands.

Seiko leaned back in her chair and looked at Sophia.  “Wait.  Why do the two of you know about it?”  She paused, remembering that Sophia had shown her the green gem on her hip.  She looked at Leona.  “Wait.  Do you have one, too?”

Leona nodded.  “I do.”

“So…” Seiko crossed her arms.  “What are you trying to say to me?”

“She wants to get you involved.”  Sophia answered for her.  “But I think you need to stay out of it.”

“How can you say that!?”  Leona demanded.  “If left alone, Cressa will be the end of us!”

Sophia’s eyes narrowed.  “And you think Seiko will be better?”

Seiko snapped at Sophia.  “Are you comparing me to that witch!?”

Sophia  put her hands up.  “Both of you need to calm down.”

“This is serious, Sophia.  We have to do something.”  Leona argued, white-knuckling her shake.

“I don’t even know what you two are talking about.”  Seiko confessed.

“You will…soon…” Sophia told her, gripping her shoulder.  “Just…suffer for a little longer.”

“Suffer?”

“A time will come, when you don’t need to worry about Cressa.”  Sophia explained, glancing at Leona.

“What?  What are you talking about?”  Seiko snapped, suddenly concerned about the safety of her sister.  “If you do anything to her then – “

“Easy.  We’re on your side.”  Sophia grumbled something about it being against her will before adding, “We’re not going to hurt her.”  Sophia looked at Leona.  “But let’s just say we have a hunch that she may be in danger.”

“A hunch?”  Seiko repeated.

Leona fiddled with her fingers again.  “I have a sporadic ability to get premonitions of the future.”

“And you foresaw…?”  Seiko asked, her eyes widening.

“I foresaw your sister’s death.”


	25. Chapter 25

The whole next week, Seiko had been bothered about what they said and had stuck closer to Cressa more than ever.   She was a little late this Monday because she stayed back to walk with Cressa to school.

They came upon a bickering Yamamoto and Gokudera.  Tsuna asked them what was wrong but they walked away, ignoring his question completely.

“Everyone is acting weird…” Tsuna commented.

Cressa scoffed.  “I think it’s just you people.”

Seiko glared at her sister.

Reborn walked up to Tsuna.  “Everyone is getting ready for a big birthday party.”

Tsuna gasped.  “Tomorrow is my birthday!”  He then stumbled off excitedly talking to himself.

Reborn turned to Seiko and asked, “Does he know that the birthday is for me, tonight?”

“Aw.  No,  he thinks it’s for him.”  Seiko giggled.  Cressa rolled her eyes and walked away.

“You’re invited, too, Seiko-chan.”  Reborn informed.  “I want all of Tsuna’s family there.”

Seiko grinned.  “Okay, I’ll try to make it.”

At lunch, Seiko was flirting with her new boytoy while some other guys from the basketball team walked up to them and started causing trouble.  In her mind, she saw what could be a small accident, turning fata l  for Cressa.

Within moments, Seiko was between them, glaring.

The guy at the front laughed.  “Aw, this little boy wants to be heroic.”

Cressa grinned.

Seiko gritted her teeth.  “I’m…not…a boy!”  She shouted and punched him right in the face.  He fell backwards across his table while Cressa laughed and called him a pansy.

Just like that, the rest of the team was on top of her.  She had knocked a few on their backs as well before she realized the whole team was a little much.  She bolted out of the cafeteria as they gave chase.

She hoped to lose them in the stair case.  It didn’t work.  She just kept running, letting her feet lead the way.  She watched over her shoulder and while they all scrambled to get through the door, she hid in the closest one to her.

She shut the door and locked it, breathing deep.

“What are you doing?”

Seiko jumped when she heard Hibari’s voice.  She looked over and then looked around the room.  “Huh.  I guess my feet naturally brought me here.”  She sighed.  “Some guys on the basketball team were poking fun at Cressa.  The whole team came after me.”

Hibari set his food down and got up, brushing past her and out the door without a word.

She gasped and followed him.  He stood in the hall and the whole team came to a dead stop when they saw him.

Hibari smirked.  “Is there a problem?”

The captain pointed at Seiko.  “Yeah, that wench picked a fight and is now running away like a pussy!”

Hibari’s eyes narrowed and any trace of humor was gone.  “Oh really?”  He pulled out his tonfas and started after them.  “I believe she’s just doing what I asked her to.”

They trembled with fear and started backing up.  “Wh-what did you ask her to do?”

Hibari hit the first one as hard as he could.  “I told her to let me handle the fighting for a while.”

For a good twenty minutes, Seiko enjoyed watching Hibari beat the entire basketball team to a pulp.  When he finished, he readjusted his tie and scoffed.  “They weren’t too tough.”

Seiko sighed.  “Guess I’m still weak.”

He stopped in front of her.  “I told you to avoid fighting for a while.”

She gave him a teasing glare.  “Then that doesn’t make sense, why train me to be stronger?”

“When you need to defend yourself.  When I’m not there.”  He answered.

Seiko reached up and wiped a smudge of blood off his face.  “Then I guess I should probably stick closer to you more often.”

He smirked.  “That would be a wise idea.”  They walked back into the reception room and he asked, “Do you want me to give you a ride home?”

“I would, but Reborn invited me to a birthday party for him and Tsuna.”  She informed.

“The baby?”  Hibari questioned.  He sighed and went back to eating his food.  “Don’t stay out too late.”  He ordered.

Seiko smiled.  “I won’t.”

Seiko followed Tsuna and Reborn back to his house.  As soon as Tsuna opened the door, they shouted Happy birthday.  Reborn thanked them while Tsuna suffered the shock of learning that everyone had forgotten his birthday.

Seiko patted his back.  “We’ll just celebrate both, okay?”

Tsuna nodded absently.

They had a big feast for the two of them, provided by Yamamoto’s dad.

“It’s delicious as always, Yamamoto.”  Seiko informed, cheerily.

Yamamoto laughed.  “Thanks.  Dad says you and Hibari need to come back again soon, you two are his best customers.”

Seiko giggled as she went for more sushi.  “That’s cause we both like tuna.”

Tsuna looked at her curiously.  “You and Hibari sure have been spending a lot of time together recently.”

Seiko blushed.  “I guess.”

At the end of the meal, Reborn pulled out a huge black board with scores on it.  He announced that on a vongolian birthday party, the attendees had to bring presents or entertainment for the hosts to score points.  The person with the lowest points dies.

Tsuna gasped.  “That’s crazy!  You can’t do that!”

Reborn stated.  “Yamamoto is in the lead.  He brought sushi.”

Yamamoto cheered.

Reborn smiled and shouted, “Next!”

Haru pulled out a little suit and tie for Reborn.  “I made these.”

Reborn excitedly gave her 85 points.

Seiko giggled.  “This is a silly game.”

Tsuna looked at her.  “It is, but I’m concerned that Reborn is serious about someone dying…”

Biachi stood up.  “I will go next. ”  She spun a pizza, but it started cutting up everything around them.  When she was done, she went to go bake it and Reborn gave her 90 points.

Reborn asked, “Are you ready to go next, Tsuna?”

“Wh-what?  But with what?  Doesn’t Lambo have something?”  He asked.

Lambo jumped up and showed his rod made of glue.  Reborn cruelly gave him one whole point.

Reborn looked past Tsuna and at Seiko.  “Do you have something?”

Seiko raised her hands and shook her head.  “Nope.  Notta.”

Reborn pointed his gun at her.  “Then die.”

Tsuna shouted, “Reborn!?  What are you doing!?  You can’t point that at her!”

“Why?”  Reborn asked.  “I point it at you all the time.”

“Y-yes, bu-but if you shoot her…you’ll piss off Hibari-san.”  Tsuna informed.

“Then do something extra in her stead.”  Reborn ordered.

Seiko pulled her knees up to her chest.  She wondered for the first time what Hibari was up to while she was here having fun with friends.  As far as she knew, he didn’t spend his time with anyone else.

No wonder him spending time with her was such a shock to everyone.

Gokudera, who had been in a corner with a stomach ache until his sister left, exclaimed, “Let’s work together, Tenth!”

“H-huh?”

Gokudera explained that his gift was a magic performance.  He put Tsuna in a box and said that he was going to stab him repeatedly with a sword but he would come out fine.

Tsuna started screaming when Gokudera whispered something.  “I’m going to be skewered!”  

Reborn laughed.  “You’re right.  So die.”  He shot Tsuna in the forehead suddenly.

In his ‘Deathspiration’ state, he stabbed himself repeatedly with the swords.  When he was finished, he panted heavily.  When it wore off, however, he screamed in pain.

After a while, they finally got him out of the box and lay him down on the bed with his injuries wrapped up.

Seiko looked out and saw the sun was setting.  She remembered promising Hibari she wouldn’t leave too late.  She sighed and got up.

“Leaving?”  Tsuna asked.

Reborn looked at Seiko expectantly.  “Something has been on your mind.”

“I suppose.”  She informed.

“Is it Hibari?”  Reborn asked.

Seiko blushed.  “Why do all of you automatically think that!?”

Reborn smiled.  “Don’t worry about him.  He may surprise you sometimes.”

Seiko sighed, not understanding what he meant and waved them goodbye.  She slipped her shoes on and opened the door to head back home.  She jumped when she saw Hibari standing there, arms crossed, leaning on his bike.  Her eyes widened.  “H-Hiba-kun?  How long have you…been waiting here?”

He didn’t respond to her question.  “Ready to go?”

She smiled warmly and glanced up to see Reborn standing in the window.  “Yeah, I’m ready.”


	26. Chapter 26

Like usual, Seiko walked to school with Tsuna and his gang.  But unlike usual, when they got to the gate, it was Kusukabe who greeted her.  He smiled, “Good morning, Seiko-chan.”

Seiko waved.  “Morning Kus.  Where’s Hiba-kun?”

On the other side of her, she heard Tsuna gasp, “She’s even addressing him with a pet-name…”

“He had a committee meeting again.” Kusukabe explained.  “He’ll probably be half of the day.”

“Okay.”  Seiko smiled.  “I’ll find him when he gets out.”  She started for the school’s entrance when she saw a couple people standing on the rooftop.  She paused, but carried on.

Sophia grumbled, glaring at Leona after Seiko disappeared from sight.  “So, those premonitions still lingering?”

Leona collapsed to her knees.  “Yeah.”

“Should we warn anyone in the family?”

Leona shook her head.  “Not this time…it’s not Cressa.”

“Huh?”  Sophia gasped and glared, picking her up by the collar.  “Who the hell are we dealing with now?”

“I-I-I think…I think Seiko is the one in trouble this time…”

“What?” Sophia dropped her and looked back down.  “That’s definitely not good for us.  Come on!”

“But!”  Leona sighed and got back up on wobbly feet, running after Sophia.

Between classes, since Tsuna was caught sleeping again, he was required to clean the hall.  Seiko, feeling bad, had joined him.

Tsuna leaned on his broom.  “You don’t have to help me, Seiko-chan.”

Seiko waved her hand.  “It’s not a bother or anything.  I don’t have anything else to do.”

Tsuna said without thinking.  “Oh yeah, Hibari-san is still in that meeting.”

Seiko blushed and shouted.  “I have a life besides spending time with him!”

Tsuna chuckled.  “Your face gets so red when we mention him.”

They looked over when they heard a couple people talking.  It was Kyoko and another girl.  Seiko blinked when she saw a small egg person.  The two girls were thanking the person for helping them.

“That little guy seems nice, but is always glaring…”  Tsuna commented.

The little person walked up to Tsuna and growled, pointing it’s finger towards the roof.  Tusna blinked.  “I don’t understand.  What does it want?”

“I dunno.”  Seiko answered.  She jumped when another voice spoke up.

“You know that only students are allowed in school, right?”

Seiko turned to see Hibari walking up.  She smiled.  “Hiba-kun!  How was your meeting?”

He ignored her and glared at Tsuna.

The person ran past all of them and up the steps.

Hibari glared at Tsuna.  “You had better not be causing trouble, herbivore.”

Seiko tugged on the back of Hibari’s shirt.  “Go easy.  Tsuna doesn’t know the kid.”

Hibari looked at her.  “Why are you cleaning?”

“I was helping Tsuna.”  Seiko stated with a smile.

Hibari took the broom from her and handed it to one of the prefects behind him.  “Take care of this.”

“Yessir!”  He shouted, eagerly sweeping.

Seiko puffed her cheeks, but Reborn appeared from the wall and scolded Tsuna, telling him to follow after the kid.

He did.

Seiko watched him run off.  “I’m curious…”  She glanced at Hibari.  “I’m gonna go see what’s going on.  I’ll meet you after school, okay?”

Hibari had just barely nodded when she took off up the steps.

Leona pushed open the door as she and Sophia peeked their heads out.  Sophia cursed.  “Gah!   If that fuckin’ prefect sees me, he’ll give me the boot.”

“Speaking of, shouldn’t you be in school?”  Leona asked.

“Only if Mukuro asks me to!”  Sophia sang.

“Who’s that?”

She blushed suddenly.  “N-no one! Gah!  Stay focused.”  She glared as Hibari walked towards the prefects.  “I wish Seiko was one of those good kids that shut themselves up in a room so nothing bad ever happens to them.  So do you have any idea what exactly happens to her?”

Leona shook her head.  “No, I just saw a flash of her face and a lot of blood.”

“So you automatically assume that means she’s going to die?”  Sophia pressed.  “Maybe she’s the one doing the killing.”

“Seiko?  Killing?  Hah!”

“Touche.”

Leona noticed t hat after talking to Hibari, the prefect went up the steps where Seiko had just gone.  She smiled.  “I think Seiko-chan is going to be okay for a little while.”

“Let’s go, just to be sure.”

Leona agreed.

When Seiko got to the roof, she saw that the little boy’s name was I-pin and he challenged Tsuna to a fight.  Tsuna of course, got his butt handed to him until Reborn stepped in.

Once exposed, Tsuna commented that I-Pin’s technique was pretty lame.  Upon hearing this, Seiko gasped when I-pin started to sweat and a countdown appeared on his head.

Reborn casually explained that this happened when I-pin was embarrassed and would soon explode once the countdown was complete.

Seiko stared.  “That’s not good.”

Tsuna jumped.  “How long have you been there?”

“I – “ Seiko gasped when I-pin clung to her leg.  “What the –“

Tsuna screamed.  “No!  You can’t blow up!”  Tsuna ripped I-pin off and tossed him in the air.  Gokudera walked up and caught him.

“What’s this?”  He asked.

“Just throw him!”  Tsuna ordered as the countdown continued to go down.

Gokudera chuckled and tossed I-pin back to Tsuna.  “Okay, here.”

“Not to me!”  Tsuna shrieked, accidentally throwing I-pin back to Seiko.

Seiko sighed.  “You’re a goof.”  She tossed I-pin gently up and then kicked him so hard, he flew up into the air and exploded far up.  She smiled.  “There.”

Tsuna sighed heavily.  “Thanks, Seiko-chan.”

“No problem.”  Seiko laughed.

They later learned that I-pin had the wrong target the whole time.

Sophia glared at Leona as they followed Seiko and Hibari after school.  “Nothing has happened!”

Leona glared back.  “My premonitions don’t always happen right away!”

“So it could be years?”  Sophia grabbed her collar.

Leona tried to push her back.  “Could be!  Why are you so hot on me about this?”

Sophia shook her.  “Because Seiko can’t die!”  She snarled.

They both gasped when Seiko stopped suddenly.  Sophia and Leona hid around the corner of the building.

Hibari looked at her curiously.  “What’s wrong?”

Seiko glanced at him and then glared over her shoulder.  “How long are you guys going to follow me?”

Leona started to step out of hiding when Sophia grabbed her arm.  “Maybe she’s not talking about us.  It’s a bluff.”

Leona stepped on her foot and walked out.  “Sorry Seiko-sama.”

“Why  _ are _  you following me?”  She asked.  She put her hand up when Hibari started towards them with tonfas.  “Easy.  They’re harmless.”

“Uh…”  Leona stumbled over her words.

Sophia rubbed her arm and said, “Well, we’ve been following you and Cressa cause of that hunch we were talking about.”

“Your premonitions?”  Seiko questioned.

“Yeah.”

“Well Cressa has been spending all of her time with her new boyfriend so following me isn’t doing you any good.”

“Are you worried about her?”

“Kinda.”  Seiko confessed.  “But I have a life too.”  She waved to them.  “See you guys later.”


	27. Chapter 27

Seiko, Leona, Kyoko, Haru, and Tsuna’s mom were out shopping and enjoying the day.  She wasn’t sure how it ended up, but they all just kind of stumbled upon each other.

Seiko had originally gone with Leona after Hibari turned her down for shopping.

“Too crowded” he had said.

But he had given her money and told her to call Leona.

She did without protest.

But by the time they had gotten to the second store, Tsuna’s mom shrieked.  “My money!  It’s gone!”

All of the girls checked their pockets.  They’d all gotten jacked.

Seiko’s eyes narrowed.  “Fucking assholes, really?”

They went back to Tsuna’s house and moped for a while.  The only time they actually looked up was when the front door opened.  Yamamoto and Gokudera walked in.  “What’s going on?”

Tsuna came downstairs.  “Whoa, what’s with the long faces?”

“We got robbed…” Haru mumbled.  “They got all of us.”

“Who did it!?”  Gokudera shouted.  “What did they look like!?”

Kyoko shook her head.  “We don’t know.  We didn’t even know it happened until it was too late.”

Seiko sighed.  “Man…way to ruin a day.”

Leona was about to add something when Seiko’s phone went off.  She picked it up and grumbled, “Hello?”

“Where are you at?”  It was Hibari.

“Tsuna’s house.”

“…You’re done already?”

“Um…yeah, well.  We kinda became the victim of a really good pickpocket.  He got us all without us noticing.”

There was a long silence.

“Where were you at when you noticed?”

“Somewhere at the front of the shopping district.”

“Go back.  Take Leona with you.”

He hung up.

Seiko sighed and got up.

Leona looked at her expectantly.  “What was that?”

“Hibari wants me to go back.”

“Why?”  Leona asked.

Tsuna cheered.  “Hibari will beat those guys up and get your money back!”

“Really?”  Kyoko and Haru’s faces brightened.

Gokudera grumbled.  “Well, he’ll get Seiko’s back.”

“It was his money, actually.”  Seiko confessed.  She looked at Leona.  “Come with me?”

“Of course.”

Seiko sighed as she and Leona walked through the crowd.  “He didn’t say where to meet him or anything…”

Leona frowned.  “Do we even know if he’ll come back?  I mean, he made it out with over a hundred bucks…”

A couple moments later, the crowd behind them gasped and recoiled.  Leona and Seiko both looked back to see a guy unconscious on the ground.  Hibari was opening up his jacket and pulled three wallets out.

He walked back over to them.  “Here’s three of them.”

“This one’s mine.”  Leona stated.

Seiko flipped through the other two.  “Looks like Kyoko’s and Haru’s.”

“Did he have any others on him?”  Leona asked.

Hibari shook his head.

“Then…was there more than one?”  Leona questioned mostly to herself.   She jumped.  “Wait, how did you know that was the guy?”

“If a pick pocket is hanging around looking for targets, and you had already been had, then it would be logical to assume you’d returned with more money.”  Hibari explained.  His eyes flashed with a hint of fury.  “Neither of you noticed, but he felt both of you for wallets.”

“Now I understand, you were watching at a distance to see who would make a move.”  Seiko said to herself.

The three of them looked back as a loud shriek sounded through the air.  Through the crowd, they saw Sophia on her back, broken shards of vase around her.  The guy who must have been holding the vase was screaming at her about it being worth more than her life.

Sophia jumped up and apologized over and over but the guy wouldn’t let up and started demanding money.

Seiko looked at Hibari.  He glared at her a moment.  “You expect me to do something about it?”

Her gaze softened and she shook her head.  “No.  I won’t ask you.”

Hibari sighed and marched over, cutting the guy off mid-sentence.  “Let it go.  It was a cheap-looking vase anyway.”

“How dare you!  Do you want to pay for it instead?” The guy demanded.

Hibari’s eyes narrowed.  “Do you want to make it out with your life?”

The guy shuddered under Hibari’s gaze and backed up a step.  A wallet fell out of his jacket.  Hibari picked it up and flipped it open.  He closed the wallet suddenly and his glare on the guy intensified.  Without warning, he hit him right across the face with his tonfa.

Seiko gasped and ran up, grabbing his sleeve.  “Hey, stop!  What are you doing!?”

“Maybe if we treat him like a piñata, all the other wallets he stole will fall out.”  Hibari commented darkly, handing her the wallet he’d picked up.

It was hers.

When Hibari went for him again, she pulled him back.  “Stop.  Beating him senseless won’t get the last wallet.”  She looked at the guy who was curled up in the fetal position on the ground.  “Do you have the wallet you stole from the last member of our group?”

“N-no…my-my brother has it…”  He trembled.

Hibari glared at the guy.  “Are you going to get him, or am I going to have to drag him out?”

The guy was heaving.  “I-I don’t know where he is…!”

Hibari smiled.  “Oh, well in that case…”  He kicked the guy as hard as he could and he went rolling.  Seiko gasped and yanked Hibari back by the back of his shirt.

“Would you stop it!”  Seiko shouted at him.

He stared wide-eyed at her for a long time before gritting his teeth and turning away.  She sighed.  She knew that he was upset and frustrated, but she didn’t want to be any more violent than absolutely necessary.

Seiko kneeled down to the guy.  “Listen, I’m not very good at controlling him, okay?  So please, let’s avoid him killing you?  Just tell me where your brother is.”

The guy barely whispered.  “He’s in the bar-café across the street.  He is the one wearing glasses.”

Seiko walked back over to them.

Leona asked, “Did he tell you where he is?”

Seiko nodded.  “Right over there.” She pointed to the café.  She started off but saw that Hibari wasn’t moving.

She reached back and took his hand.  “Are you okay, Hiba-kun?”

He nodded and followed  the three  girls into the café.

The guy with glasses glanced over before looking away, pretending not to notice.

Seiko motioned for them to stay there.  She sat down at his booth.

He stared.  “Can I help you?”

“I want my friend’s wallet back.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You had two brothers.”  Seiko explained.  “But my angry friend over there took care of both of them.  He’s really mad and the only reason you’re still alive is because I have tolerance.  And for some reason, he listens to me.”

“Oh yeah?  Well I – “ The guy began until the  one  Hibari had beat up fell against the window, motioning to run away.

The guys eyes widened.  He started to jump out of the booth when he came face to face with Hibari who was grinning darkly.  He held his hand out.  “You have to the count of three.”

The guy gulped.

Hibari added, “And I’m not any good at counting.”

He handed him the wallet and went screaming like a child.

Seiko stood up with a smile.  “There.  No bloodshed.”

“It wasn’t nearly as fun…”  Hibari said casually walking away.

In the end, they got everyone back the right wallets.


	28. Chapter 28

Seiko was walking with Tsuna back home.  Gokudera and Yamamoto had already gone their own ways.

Tsuna had been about to say something when he saw that his house was surrounded by guys in suits.  Seiko asked.  “Tsuna?  Are you in trouble with the law?”

“No!”  Tsuna shouted.  He struggled to get through after explaining that he was Tsuna.  Seiko followed him into his house and up to his room.

Half of Tsuna’s room had been traded in for office-like furniture  an in a big chair in the middle was a very attractive-looking guy with blond shaggy hair and tattoos all over the left side of his body.

Seiko blinked.  “Who is that?”

Reborn hopped on the desk.  “His name is Dino.  He’s the 10 th  Cavallone boss.”

Tsuna was gaping as he stared at him.

Dino looked past Tsuna and at Seiko.  “Hm?  Who is this?”

Reborn smiled.  “This is Seiko, the most promising member of Tsuna’s family.”

Seiko blushed.  “Wh-what?”

“She takes care of Tsuna.”  Reborn explains.  “Since he can’t himself.”

Dino grinned.  “Oh, Tsuna.  Is she your girlfriend?”

Tsuna gasped.  “Don’t say that!  H-hibari would kill me!”

Dino frowned.  “Hm?”

Seiko’s face was cherry red.

Reborn explained, “Seiko already has a boyfriend.”

“No I don’t!”  She argued.

Dino and Reborn plunged into talking about Tsuna’s insufficient qualities.  Seiko laughed softly and started backing up.  “Well, I’m going to let you handle this on your own.”

Tsuna grabbed her and pulled her back.  “Don’t leave me!”

Seiko whined until Lambo and I-pin came running in.  Lambo accidentally threw a bomb out the window where all of Dino’s men were.  Expertly, Dino leapt out and with his whip, saved his men from the explosion.

Seiko stared with wide-eyes.  “Whoa.”  She blushed a bit.  “He’s cool.”

Tsuna gaped.  “No, Seiko-chan!  Don’t fall for him!”

Reborn offered Dino to stay the night.  Which he gladly accepted.

Tsuna looked at Seiko.  “ Will you at least stay for dinner?”

She shrugged.  “Why not?”

At dinner, she learned that Dino was incapable of doing anything without his men around.  And she was a little startled when Reborn listened off the members of Tsuna’s family including both her and Hibari.

Just before Seiko was about to leave, there was a loud scream.  They all raced upstairs to see that Dino’s pet turtle had climbed into the bath and swollen to the size of the whole tub.  Seiko’s eye twitched.  “Holy shit.”

Dino jumped in front of them.  “I got  t his!”  He used his whip but ended up getting everything but the turtle.

Reborn threw Leon on Tsuna’s face, changing into a mask and making it so Dino could concentrate and suspend Enzio while he dried and shrank back to normal size.

Seiko breathed deep and said, “With that excitement, I’m going home.”

Tsuna waved.  “Thanks for helping me, Seiko-chan.”

Seiko smiled.  “Any time.”

Seiko rushed home, ready to be away from that mess of people and to relax.  She still had a bit of homework to do so she wanted to get that out of the way.

She slowed down just before her apartment.  A bike was parked just outside of her door again.  She smiled as she walked in.

Hibari was laying on the couch, a book rested on his chest.   Seiko kicked off her shoes and sat on the edge of the couch.

The movement distilled him and he opened his eyes, looking at her.  

She smiled.  “You fell asleep.”  She paused and tipped her head.  “Hey, you look kind of pale, Hiba-kun.”

“I’m just tired.”  He told her, picking his book up and sitting up.

Seiko smiled softly.  “Well, it’s Friday.  Do you want to just stay here for the weekend?  It’s not safe to ride your bike while you’re half asleep anyway.”

Hibari relaxed again.  “I suppose.”

Seiko asked, “Want some tea?”

“Sure…”  He went back to reading his book.

“What were you doing?”  Hibari asked casually, not looking up from his book.  “You were out later than usual.”

“I was going to come straight back.”  Seiko informed.  “But some guy showed up at Tsuna’s and he was freaked out so I stayed for moral support.”  She laughed.

She walked back out with two cups of tea and set one on the coffee table for him.

Hibari took it and sipped from it without ever looking up from his book.  “Sounds like trouble.”

“He wasn’t so bad.  He was actually kind of nice.  His name is Dino.”  Seiko stated.

When Hibari failed to give much of a response, she decided to let him be to his book.  But she kept a mental note that when he set his cup of tea back down, his hand was a little shaky.

“Are you just going to sleep there?”

“Yeah.”

She got up and went to the closet, getting the extra blanket and pillow and setting them down next to him so he wouldn’t have to get up for them.  “I’m crashing early.”   She told him, putting her cup in the sink.

When she headed to her bedroom, she saw him looking at her.  “Something wrong, Hiba-kun?”

“Nothing.”  He said, going back to the book.

She smiled and before she went in, she doubled back and leaned over the end of the couch.  She brushed his bangs up and softly kissed his forehead.  “Goodnight, Hiba-kun.  <3”

He glared at her.  “I didn’t say I wanted a kiss.”

“You didn’t need to.”  Seiko giggled.  “I’m getting to know you better.”

“Are you now?”  His voice asked in a challenge.

She leaned back away from him and winked.  “Yep.” She slipped into the bedroom before he could argue any more.

She pulled off her shirt and looked out the window at the moon where it hung in the sky.  For the first time in several days, she thought back to what Sophia and Leona had said about a premonition.  About Cressa’s life being cut short.  Her stomach hurt suddenly.  Was it true?

Was she really going to fail?

Her hand came to rest on her chest, just over her sternum.  Beneath her fingers, a ruby jewel glowed in reflection of the moon.

She told herself that it was just a figment of her imagination, but she felt an overwhelming sense of doom.

Quickly she changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed.  She gasped in surprise when one of the kittens jumped down her back.

“Hey, how’d you get in here?”  She scooped up both Pyro and Icil while they were tearing around her room.  “No way, you two will keep me up all night.”

She opened the door and went to throw them out when she caught sight of Hibari.  He was already out again, but this time the book was still in his hand, about to fall.

“On second thought…”  Seiko whispered.  She tossed the kittens back into the bedroom and went to Hibari, pulling the book from his hand and putting his bookmark back in place.  She set it on the table and returned to bed.

In bed, where she was kept awake all night long by the continuous pouncing across her face.


	29. Chapter 29

Seiko was up bright and early the next morning.   When she trotted out of the bedroom, she saw that Hibari was awake, too, back to reading.

Maybe it was her imagination, but he looked worse than he did the night before.  “G’morning.”  She told him, slipping on her shoes.

He glanced up from the book.  “Where are you going?”

“I’m gonna go pick up some cat food from the store.”  She lied.

“Do you need money?”

Seiko smiled and shook her head.  “Nope.  I still got some of what you gave me.”

Once she got outside, she trotted to the store.  The cat food thing was just a cover up.  She had plans of getting some medicine and slipping him some since she already knew he wouldn’t take any.

On her way though, she happened to bump into Dino.

“Hey it’s you!”  He exclaimed.  “Seiko-chan, right?”

Seiko nodded and dipped her head.  “What are you up to, Dino-san?”

“I was just about to test Tsuna’s two right-hand men to see if they were really worthy of their titles.  Want to see?”

Seiko giggled.  “Sure, why not?”  she had barely gotten the words out when a car went speeding by.  Behind it, Yamamoto and Gokudera were running.

Dino laughed.  “There they go.”  He smiled.  “I like their enthusiasm to help their boss.

“Yeah.  Those two are pretty loyal.”

Dino looked at her curiously.  “What about you?  Are you loyal to Tsuna?”

“You could say that.”  Seiko informed.  “He’s the first person to ever offer me any kind of welcoming.”

“Really?”  Dino frowned.  “I’m sorry.”  He leaned on the gate of a random house.  “So tell me, who is this Hibari guy.  He and Sasagawa are the only ones I haven’t met yet.”

Seiko blushed a bit.  “Well…he’s not a nice guy by any means.  At least not to other people.  But he’s a lot softer inside than what anyone would guess.”

“So he acts tough, right?”  Dino comprehended.

Seiko nodded.  “But his weakness is little animals.  He secretly adores them.”  She waved her hand while giggling.  “But don’t ever let on that you know that.  He’ll kill me.”

“I doubt that.”  Dino chuckled.  “Well, I’m going to go let the idiots know that they can stop chasing that car.”

Reborn warned, “You better hurry, they’re running after a real group of people that they think took Tsuna.

Tsuna, who was still tied up, gasped.  “Reborn!”

Reborn went to sleep to ignore them.

Seiko sighed.  “That guy…”  She shook her head.  “But I have some errands to run…let me know if you need help.”

Dino nodded and waved her off as he and Tsuna ran the other direction.

As Seiko walked, she was aware of a presence following her.  She looked up to see Sophia balancing along the fence line, walking next to her.  “Morning, sunshine.”

“Can I help you?”  Seiko asked.

“I was wondering what you were doing.”  Sophia informed.

“I’m going to the store to get some medicine.  I think Hiba-kun is getting sick.”  Seiko informed. 

“Aw, you’re so cute when you’re worried about things that don’t matter.”  Sophia informed.

Seiko glared.  “What do you mean, don’t matter?”

Sophia stopped suddenly and rested her hands on her hips.  “I need to confess something.” 

“What?”  Seiko asked, feeling that sense of doom wash back over her.

“Well, Leona and I have been lying.”  Sophia started.  “A while back, she got a premonition about Cressa, but she’s had another one.”

“Hm?”

“It’s you.  Covered in blood.” Sophia told her.  “In a premonition, blood is death.  Either you die, you kill someone, or you witness someone die.”

Seiko turned away.  “I don’t want to hear this.”

“Why?”  Sophia asked, running after her as she tried to walk away.  “This is important, you can’t die.”

“Why is my life so important?”  Seiko demanded.

“B-because…”  She stiffened.  “Don’t you have any self-value!?”

“No.” Seiko stormed into the store.  She looked for the best generic kind of medicine.  She didn’t know any of his symptoms, so she got a pain-reliever as well.  When she came back out, Sophia picked right up where she left off, “Your life is important to this world!  Without you, we will all be more miserable.”

“No one needs me.”  Seiko retorted icily.

Sophia paused on the sidewalk, letting Seiko put distance on her.  Sophia frowned.  “That’s not true.  Who are you buying that medicine for?”

Seiko stopped and looked back at her.  Sophia added, “Why were you late going home yesterday?  Because that person wanted you around for reassurance.”

At first it looked like Seiko was going to have an epiphany, but her eyes narrowed abruptly.  “How long have you been stalking me!?”

Sophia put her hands up.  “A while…”

She turned away and stormed back to her apartment.  As she opened the door, she realized she forgot to actually get the cat food so he wouldn’t know what she was really doing.  Now she felt like an idiot.

But she forgot all about it and let the door swing open on its own.  Hibari was leaned against the wall, his face flushed, breathing heavy.   He was barely able to turn his head to look at her.  She could see from where she was that his eyes were glazed over in pain.  Seiko gasped, “Hiba-kun!”

“That…doesn’t look like catfood…”  He commented, but his voice was weak.

Seiko started to pull him up.  “Come on, we need to get you to the hospital.”  She gasped when he pushed her away.  

“I’m fine.”  He snapped.  “Let me be.”

“But…”  Seiko bit her lip.  She placed her hand to his head.  With one touch, she knew he was running a fever but he smacked her hand away.  “Hibari!”

“I’m fine!”  He argued.

Seiko stood up.  “Fine.”  She stormed right back out of the apartment.  As soon as she was out her door, she loped as hard as she could back to the school, praying with every essence of her sole that a certain person would still be there.

Sure enough, her prayers were answered and she almost ran right into him on her way to the reception room.  “Kusu!”

Kusukabe looked like he was going to yell at her until he recognized who she was.  He gasped.  “Seiko-chan.  Hey.  What are you doing here?  Hibari-san isn’t here right now.”

She shook her head.  “I know.  I was looking for you.  I think Hibari’s gotten really ill, but he won’t let me help him.  He needs to go to the hospital.”

Suddenly Kusukabe looked super serious.  “Where is he?”  he demanded.

“My apartment.  Follow me.”  She told him, taking off.

As soon as she opened the door and Kusu walked in, Hibari glared, but was clearly even struggling to do that much.  Kusu smirked a bit.  “Yeah, you’re in bad shape, Hibari-san.”

“Stay away from me.”  He growled.  “If you want to keep your life.”

“Hiba-kun!  This is serious, you need to go.  Don’t fight us, please.”   Seiko begged, but Hibari still took a swing when Kusu got close.

“I figured as much.”  Kusu sighed, trying not to show his frustration.  A couple more of the delinquents came in and they restrained his arms while all three of them helped him to his feet.

He was so limp that the nearly dragged him out, but he was still struggling against them.  Hibari growled, trying to pull his arms free.  “I will bite you all to death.”

“Just calm down, Hibari-san.  I’m not sure if you’re aware that you can’t even walk.”  Kusu informed.

Hibari finally ripped free of them.  “That doesn’t mean I can’t still – “  He collapsed.

Seiko gasped as he fell back, right into her arms.  She stumbled backwards, but he was completely limp in her arms.  His breathing was heavier than before.

“I’m tired…”  He said, completely forgetting that he  was  pissed at all of them.

Seiko kissed his forehead softly.  “Then sleep…”


	30. Chapter 30

Seiko was relieved once he was in the hospital bed and with some medicine in his system.  The nurses had told her that he would probably stay sleeping for the first day with how much medicine they’d given him.  For that reason, the delinquents had gone back home.

But Seiko’s home was wherever he was.

She had gone home to get some clothes and some other stuff, including his book that he had been diligently reading.  If he woke up, he’d want it.

Because of what the nurse said, she was surprised when Hibari woke up only a few hours later.  He looked around a moment before his tired and irritated eyes landed on her.  “What’s going on?”

Seiko scooted closer to the bed.  “You got really sick, Hiba-kun.  You couldn’t move and you ended up passing out.  So we brought you to the hospital.”

“We?”

“I found Kusukabe to help me.”  Seiko informed.  “You were really bad.  You scared me.”

He asked, “So why are you still here?”

Seiko blinked.  “I wanted to be here when you wake up.  Thought you might like company?”

Hibari glared up at the ceiling.  “I don’t like crowds.”

Seiko shifted in her seat.  “I know…but…”

“But I don’t dislike you.”  He commented.

Seiko’s expression brightened.  “Do you want something to drink or anything?”

He gave her a strange look and then went back to glaring at the ceiling.  “No.  Just stay in here.”

“Okay.”  Seiko looked around.  She knew he didn’t like to talk, but there had to be something… “Oh!”  She went back to the bag she had gotten.   “I grabbed your book, in case you wanted to finish it.”

She went to hand it to him but he caught her wrist instead and pulled her over into the bed with him.  Her face turned bright red.  “H-Hiba-kun?”

“I don’t want the book.”  He said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her against him.

Seiko blushed but she didn’t even try to pull away.  She could barely hear him as he muttered, “Despite all my intimidation and my threats, you waited here for me.  Even after the rest of the committee went back home.”

Seiko sat up a bit.  “Well…that’s cause…I’ve only ever felt…at home…with you…”

Hibari’s attention went back to the ceiling.  “The Discipline committee only does what I say out of fear.  It’s weird…for someone to care about me…as a person…”

Seiko smiled.  “If you’d let people try to get to know you, like you let me… then maybe more people would…”

“I don’t like socializing.”  Hibari retorted.

“I know.”  Seiko whispered.  She leaned up and kissed him softly.  He returned the gentle kiss hesitantly.  She told him.  “Rest so you can get better.”

“Stay here.”  He ordered, holding her tighter suddenly.

Seiko smiled.  “I’m not going anywhere, Hiba-kun.”  She got up and sat back on her chair, but she took his hand so he’d know she was still there.

Seiko fell asleep long before Hibari ever did.  He’d even finished his book.  He felt weak and he heated the feeling, but even so, he couldn’t sleep.

The  sun was setting.  Seiko should g o back home and sleep in her own bed.  But she was already out of it.  She had fallen asleep with her head on the edge of bed, using his hand as a pillow.

He kept thinking back to the last minutes before he lost consciousness and how childishly he was fighting against her.  When she only wanted to help.

He sighed and blew out a breath.  Since when did he start thinking like one of those loser love-struck herbivores?

He glanced at her again and cursed.

When he became one?

With his free hand, he ran his fingers through her hair, watching her snooze soundly.  It couldn’t have been comfortable sleeping like that.  That’s how tired she must be.  But he had been the selfish one and ordered her to stay.

He grabbed his phone off the desk and dialed Kusukabe.

“Yes, president?”

“Come here.  Take Seiko home.”

“Yes sir.”  He said without hesitation.

Kusukabe arrived shortly later.  He started to ask where she was when he saw her little form curled up next to the bed.  He sighed.  “Why do you want me to take her home, Hibari-san?”

He grumbled.  “She has kittens to feed.”

“Yes, but – “

“And she’ll get a kink in  her  neck if she sleeps like that too long.”  He stated.

Kusu chuckled.  “I think she’d rather stay here.”

Hibari glared at him.  “Are you arguing?”

He held up his hands.  “No, no.  But,  do you really want me to take her home?”

Hibari looked down at her again.

Kusu smirked.  “I think you’re too stubborn to admit that you want her to stay here.”

Hibari scoffed.  “Then you go feed the cats.”

“Yes sir.”

Hibari yawned and finally fell asleep shortly after Kusukabe left.

When Seiko woke up, she yawned loudly.  After noticing that Hibari was still asleep, she clamped her jaw and covered her mouth.   She smiled softly.  He was looking much better than yesterday. 

Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was seven in the morning.   It was still early enough, most likely Hibari would be asleep for a while longer.  Seiko got up and went to the bathroom, changing into some of the new clothes she had gotten the other day.  It was a blank tank top and dark blue jeans.

She left a note for Hibari just in case he woke up.

On her way out, she bumped into Dino.  “Oh hey.  What are you doing here?”  He asked.  Behind him, Tsuna was being carried by some henchmen.

Seiko gasped, “What happened to Tsuna!?”

Dino waved his hands.  “Mishappen with Enzio.”

Seiko glared at him.  “Again?”

Tsuna groaned.  “I’m okay…but Seiko, why are you here?”

Seiko shrugged.  “Hibari’s here.  I was just on my way out for an early morning smoothie.  You guys take it easy, okay?”

She waved them off as she trotted out and down the street to the shake shack.

She gasped when she got there.  Sophia was ordering a mint shake.  She turned and went to leave when she saw Seiko.  “Hey!  What are you doing here?”

“Getting a smoothie.  You?”

“Same.”  Sophia informed, grinning.

Seiko gave her a glare.  She paused long enough to order a strawberry banana smoothie and then asked, “So are you still stalking me?”

Sophia wiggled a finger.  “No no.  Mukuro has asked me to attend to something else.”

“Who is Mukuro?”  Seiko pressed.

Sophia straightened.  “No one!”

Seiko shrugged.  “Whatever…”  She looked out towards the rising sun and sighed.

“What’s wrong?  Something weighing you down?”  Sophia asked.  “I hope it’s not that premonition thing.”

Seiko shook her head.  “No, I’d forgotten about it.”

Sophia made a face.  “No really?”

“Yeah.”  Seiko confessed.

Sophia leaned against the side of the shack.  “So what’s up?”

Seiko blushed and glanced at her friend.  “Will you promise not to laugh?”

Sophia nodded.

Seiko took a big breath.  “I’m worried about Hibari after he fell ill yesterday.  He’s fine now.  But…It freaks me out that where he’s usually so strong…he was so weak yesterday…”

All of a sudden Sophia started laughing.

Seiko gasped and glared.  “You promised not to laugh, you – “

Sophia wiped her eyes and waved her hand.  “You’re just so damn cute.”  Sophia set her drink on the counter and put both of her hands on Seiko’s shoulders.  “Everything is fine.  You’re worried over nothing.  But I think you should hurry up and get back there.  I’m sure after that episode, he won’t want to be too far from your adorable little face.”

Seiko’s face was red hot.  “You’re crazy.”

Sophia pushed her towards the hospital.  “Go, go go!”

Seiko waved as she raced off.

As Sophia watched her leave, the smile that had been on her face fell.  Her morbid sense of doom came back as the air crackled around her.

She whispered after Seiko, “Enjoy what you’ve got before you lose it all, darling.”  She turned and walked back down the street;

Back to Mukuro.


	31. Chapter 31

Seiko trotted down the hospital halls while sipping at her smoothie.  She slipped quietly back into Hibari’s room.

She jumped in surprise when she saw Tsuna sitting up on the bed across the room from Hibari’s.  She smiled.  “They put you in this room?”

Tsuna was waving his hands with a scared look on his face.  He mouthed, “Don’t talk!  Don’t wake him up.”

Seiko looked back over to Hibari who was still sleep and then down at the two injured people at the foot of his bed.  Seiko sighed, “He’s cranky when he wakes up.”

Tsuna started making a bunch of weird movements that amounted to: “He’ll kill me if I wake him up.”

Seiko smiled.  “You’re fine, Tsuna, I won’t let him kill you.”  She went over to the phone and called for a doctor to come pick up the two patients.

When the nurse came in, the sound of the door was enough to wake Hibari up.

Tsuna gasped and curled up on the bed.

Hibari sat up and yawned.  “Who woke me up?”  He demanded sharply.

“I did.”  Seiko stated.

He looked over at her.  “When did you get back?”

“A few minutes ago.”  Seiko confessed, sitting on the edge of his bed.  “How are you feeling?”

“Fine.  I’m ready to leave.”  He commented.

Seiko smiled.  “Not until the doctor gives you the okay.”

He grumbled.  Seiko playfully scolded, “Don’t act like a child…”

Hibari glared at her.  “I’m not – “

“You are.”  Seiko stated.  She looked at the table.  “Did you finish your book?”

Hibari went quiet.

“Want me to get you another one?”  She asked.  When he still didn’t respond to her, she asked, “What’s wrong?  Are you feeling sick again?”

She reached to touch his forehead.  He stiffened the moment she made contact.   Seiko frowned.  “You’re a little warm…I’ll go get you something to drink.”  She started to withdraw when his arms wrapped around her suddenly and pulled her to him.  She gasped but caught herself on him, her arms around his neck.  “H-hiba-kun?”

“Stay.”  He ordered.

Seiko relaxed.  “Okay…”

Reborn hopped up on Tsuna’s bed while he stared in shock at Hibari and Seiko.  Reborn asked, “Feel bad yet, Stupid-Tsuna?”

“For what?”  Tsuna asked.

“Everyone has feelings.”

Tsuna looked down.  “Well how was I supposed to know?”  Tsuna grumbled but then sighed.  “I guess I can see where Seiko is coming from now.”

“Exactly.”  Reborn stated.

“I guess he’s really not such a bad guy.”

Reborn grinned.  “You’re learning.”

He skipped off.

Seiko curled up against Hibari’s side while he softly ran his hand through her short strands of hair.  It soothed her and she closed her eyes, relaxing.

A few minutes later, the door opened up again.  Seiko sat up and looked over to see I-Pin and Lambo walk in.  She glanced over at Tsuna.  “Missing something?”

Tsuna blinked and rubbed his face.  “W hy do they have to come in here? ”

Hibari stiffened and glared at Tsuna.  “There’s too many people in here.”

Tsuna put his hands up.  “I’m sorry!  I’ll make them leave quickly!”

Seiko giggled and looked back, but saw that I-Pin was standing there, staring.  “Huh?”

Suddenly the countdown started on her head.  Both Seiko and Tsuna shouted, “What the hell!?”

Seiko leapt off the bed, grabbed I-pin and ran down the hall.  She threw her out the last window, just in time for the blast to go off a safe distance.  She sighed.  “That was too close.”   She leaned on the window sill and saw Leona and Yamamoto chatting.

Those two were always hanging out together.  Laughing and having a good time.  She smiled as she watched them.  They were such a cute couple…

“Seiko.”

Seiko gasped and turned, nearly running into Hibari.  She shouted, “What are you doing up, Hibari!?  Go back and lay down right now!”  She started to push him back, but he caught her.

He pulled her in close, one hand in her hair and the other around her lower back.  He pressed his face to her hair.  “What…did I just tell you…”

Seiko tried to look up at him, but his hold was too tight.  “I-I don’t know…?”

“Don’t go running off.”  Hibari growled.  “I’m not taking any chances on you not coming back.”

Seiko told him, “Idiot, I wasn’t going to do anything stupid.  You’re sick and she was going to explode…”

His hold on her tightened.  “What if you’d been caught up in it?”

Seiko’s eyes widened.  “Hibari-kun…”

He whispered softly.  “I’m fighting for you now, so you don’t have to fight anymore.”

Seiko’s expression softened and she felt her heart start to race.  “You don’t have to…you’ve already done so much for me…”

He tipped her head up and kissed her suddenly, deeply.  Her eyes widened at first until she closed them and slowly kissed him back.  He pulled back and stroked the right side of her face.  “Then don’t let it go to waste.”

Her heart was going crazy and she couldn’t help but pull him back by the collar and kiss him gently over and over again.  “Hiba-kun…thank you…”

He smirked and lifted her up.  “Now come on back to the room.”

Seiko gasped.  “Hiba-kun!  You shouldn’t lift me up while you’re sick.”

“I’m not going to catch a cold from picking you up.”  Hibari growled, walking back.

“B-but – “ Seiko paused in scolding him when she saw some of the delinquents carrying Tsuna out of the room.  She gasped.  “Hibari!  You were just distracting me so you could have them drag Tsuna out!”

Hibari made a gruff noise.  “And I clearly didn’t waste enough time.  They’re useless.”

Seiko elbowed him.  “Don’t say that about your own fellow committee members!”

Hibari sighed as he walked into the hospital room, ignoring her order and all but collapsed back on the bed.

Seiko glared at him.  “See, you’re all worn out.”

Hibari yawned and folded her up against his body, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

Seiko grumbled.  “You didn’t even ask me to stay in here with you…”

He opened his eyes back up with a smirk.  “Did I need to?”

“Of course not.”

“Then quit complaining.”  He ordered.

Seiko snuggled closer, pressing her face to his chest.   “I’m not.  I just want to be with you, Hiba-kun.”

He kissed her forehead.  “Well, I’m not letting you go anywhere.”

“Then I guess it works out.”  She stated.  She curled up and closed her eyes.  “Now go to sleep, Hiba-kun.”

“Yes ma’am.”  He teased.

Leona looked over when Sophia came running up.  Yamamoto had gone back inside to check up on Tsuna after the explosion.  “Where have you been?”  Leona asked in a growl.

Sophia grinned.  “Candy shopping.”  Her expression became suddenly serious.  “What about you?  Those premonitions?”

Leona had to hide the grave look on her face.  “I’m not feeling well…I think something bad is closing in.”

“So then…” Sophia whispered, “It’s almost time?”

Leona nodded, looking up at the window.  “Just when she was beginning to bloom, a storm is going to come…and rip her right from her roots.”

“Jeez, you don’t have to be philosophical about it.”  Sophia teased.

“No…that’s what I heard in my premonition.”  Leona explained.

Sophia stopped smiling.

Something big was definitely coming.


	32. Chapter 32

“Stop.  I’m fine.”

Seiko puffed her cheeks.  “You just got released from the hospital yesterday, I’m not letting you go hunt people down today.”

“I’m just going to go check on the school and make sure no one’s there.”  Hibari argued, trying to get out the door.

Seiko was holding him back inside.  “No…!  I know you…and you’ll find someone that looks like fun to beat up on the way!  And you’ll just make yourself sick again.”

Hibari pulled harder.  “I’m fine…!”

“Stop arguing like a child!”

“Stop calling me a child, herbivore!”

“Hey!”  Seiko gasped when her grip loosened and they both fell in the doorway.  Hibari groaned and then growled when she landed on him.

“You’re heavy for such a little thing.”  Hibari commented humorlessly.

Seiko held her head.  “Ow…!  And you’re about as comfortable as a rock to land on.”

Hibari sat up.  “Idiot.  If you’d just let me leave, this wouldn’t happen.”  He lifted her bangs up to make sure she didn’t have a bruise.

Seiko bit her bottom lip.  “But I don’t want you to go.  I’m worried you’ll get hurt.”

Hibari sighed.  “Fine.  Come with me.  We’ll pick up sushi on the way back.”

Seiko jumped up.  “Great idea!”

Hibari smirked and stood up.  “You’re easy to please.  Let’s go.”  He walked out to the bike and handed her the helmet.

Seiko frowned.  “Should you be riding this while – “

“Get. On.  And.  Shut.  Up.”  Hibari demanded.  Seiko nodded and slid on behind him.  She wrapped her arms tightly around him.  But before he started up the bike, he said, “I appreciate your concern for me…it’s nice…”

Seiko smiled.  “Don’t thank me for what comes naturally.”

They sped off.

Once at the school, Seiko casually commented.  “You know, I realized just now that tomorrow is New Years…”

Hibari glanced at her as they walked into the school.  “Yeah, so?”

Seiko blushed a bit.  “So…what are your plans?”

“Same as every other day.”  He answered.  Seiko looked at him expectantly.  He smirked, “There’s no school…so I’ll be at your place.”

Seiko smiled, her cheeks pink.  “Okay.  Do you want me to make anything special to celebrate the holiday?”

“Nah.  I don’t really celebrate.”  Hibari stated, peeking around through all the class rooms until he came to the reception room.

Seiko giggled when he dropped onto the couch and sighed.  “Hate being away from your home for so long?”

Hibari smirked a bit.  “I don’t care for long vacations.”  He motioned her over.

Seiko stuck her tongue out.  “I prefer them.”

“Why?”  Hibari asked as she sat on the couch next to him.

Seiko smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder.  “School wears me out.”

“I know.”  He told her, finding her hand and lacing his fingers with hers.  Seiko smiled, relaxing.

She glanced up at him.  “You’re still exhausted , too,  aren’t you?”

He went quiet.

She giggled to herself and patted his chest.  “You can’t hide it from me.”

He sighed and she felt him starting to relax when there was a noise from somewhere in the school.  Both of them jumped, but his grip on her hand tightened suddenly.  He rose to his feet and whipped out a tonfa.  At the same time, he pulled her little body behind him.

Worriedly, Seiko tugged on his sleeve.  “Wait, Hibari, you’re still not to full strength.  Whatever it is, just let it be.”

He shot her a glare over his shoulder and marched out of the reception room, but he kept Seiko close to him.  She felt like it was for protection, but he was purposely seeking out the danger.

Out in the hall way, a girl was running, looking over her shoulder as though she was being chased by somebody.  As soon as Hibari grabbed her collar and pushed her against the wall, Seiko recognized her.  “Sophia!”

Hibari looked at Seiko questioningly and then back at the girl he had pinned.

Sophia held her hands up.  “Please let me go!  I’m sorry!”

His eyes narrowed.  “What were you doing in my school?”

Sophia’s eyes darted around as she stuttered.  “I um…I just kind of stumbled upon here.”

Hibari gritted his teeth.  “As if.”  He started to raise his tonfa when Seiko caught his arm. 

“Stop!”  Seiko ordered desperately.  “She’s my friend!”

“Let go, Seiko.”  He argued, trying to shake her off.

Seiko’s eyes widened when she looked at Sophia and felt the air crackled with pressure.  An energy so immense made her skin crawl with fear and her blood ran cold.  She had come to think of Sophia as a friend, but there was something very ominous about her presence…all the time.

She must have zoned out because next thing she knew she was sitting on the floor and Hibari had let Sophia go.  “What’s wrong?”  He asked.

Seiko looked past him and at Sophia but shook her head.  “N-nothing…”

Hibari picked Seiko up but glared at Sophia.  “I still want to know what you were doing to my school.”

Sophia shook her head.  “Okay, the truth is, I was just looking for Seiko.”

Seiko stiffened, remembering what they keep reminding her about.  That premonition Leona had.

But Hibari’s eyes only narrowed more.  “What for?”

Sophia waved her hands.  “Um…just…cause I wanted to talk to her.”

Hibari looked at Seiko in his arms.  She shrugged her shoulders.  She didn’t know what Sophia was wanting anymore than he did.  He grumbled and set her down, turning and going into the reception room.  He shut the door behind him.

Seiko smiled.  He got grumpy so easily, but he was becoming fairly sweet.  She knew, now that she knew  _ him _ , that he was just giving her space to talk with her friend.

Seiko looked at Sophia, all humor left her face.  “What’s going on?”

Sophia’s face pinched.  “Leona hasn’t been feeling well.”

“Okay?  So?”  Seiko pressed.  “I feel bad for her, but you look like it’s more than a cold.”

Sophia sat down and crossed her legs.  “When someone like her doesn’t feel well, it an ominous occurance.”

“Huh?” Seiko urged.

“It means that something very,  _ very _  bad is about to happen. ”  Sophia whispered, her eyes boring into Seiko’s.  “To you.”

“So…like how bad are we talking?”

“I think…you’re going to die.”

“You think I’m gonna die?”  Seiko repeated, baffled.

“All of her premonitions revolve around blood – which happens to mean death.  Either you…or your involvement is going to have a big impact on something.”

Seiko looked down before turning.  “I think you’re going crazy.  I’m fine.”

Sophia jumped up.  “Seiko, wait!”

Seiko shook her head, a sad smile on her face.  “I’m going to go home and go to bed.”  She walked up to Hibari who offered to take her home.

The truth is, she didn’t need to hear Sophia’s warnings.  She could feel something bad coming as well.

At the doorstep to her apartment, Cressa stood.  She was in her usual skimpy attire, but her face was streaked with tears.  Hibari looked at Seiko.  He stiffly said, “Goodnight.”  And left.

Cressa ran up to Seiko and wrapped her arms around her, crying on her shoulder.  Seiko patted her sister’s back, unused to this attitude from her sister.  “Cressa?  What happened?”

“Seiko…I’m so sick and tired of this…”  She pulled back, rubbing her face.  “I don’t want to care about everyone else.  I don’t want to have other people’s lives’ in my hands.  I just don’t care about anyone else!”

“Okay?”

“A gang attacked me…the guy I’ve been dating…he’s with one of the opposing factions…he helped them try to rape me.  But I got away…”

“Cressa, I – “

“Seiko, I know you don’t like me.  I don’t like you either.  But…can I please stay with you tonight?”

“Yeah.  That’s fine.”

“Thank you.”


	33. Chapter 33

Seiko groaned.  All the next morning, Cressa bitched about her, her apartment, her kittens, and everything.  It annoyed her by the time she got to school.

But Seiko was surprised when she saw prefects all over the campus.  She found Kusukabe just outside the gate.  “Hey!”  Seiko called, trotting up to him.  “What’s going on?”

Kusukabe frowned.  “You haven’t heard?  The last several days, there have been multiple attacks on the prefects here.  Each one has had a different number of teeth pulled out.”

Seiko felt a chill down her back and she worriedly asked, “Do you guys know who’s doing it?  Or why?”

Kusukabe shook his head.  “Sadly not.”

“do you think maybe it’s a grudge?”  Tsuna asked suddenly.

Seiko gasped and turned to him.  “When did you get there?”

“Sorry, I walked up a minute ago and was eavesdropping.”  Tsuna looked at Kusukabe.  “I mean, why else would it be only prefects?”

“We don’t know.”  Hibari snapped, walking up.

Cressa shivered beside Seiko.  “Jeesh.  You hang out with the weirdest crowd.”  She groaned, but Seiko noticed that unlike usual, she didn’t leave.  Her green eyes were filled with fear.  Was she scared of the attacker?  But why would she be?  The person was only after delinquents.  Honestly, Seiko was more scared for Hibari right now.

“As far as we know, these attacks weren’t done by anyone that any of us know.”  Hibari explained, arms crossed, glaring at Tsuna.

Tsuna shirked behind Seiko.  “Sorry.  It was just a guess.”

“But we’ll eliminate this threat from its source just like the others.”  Hibari assured.

Seiko frowned.  It had only been a couple days since he had been released from the hospital.  This was the last thing he should be shouldering.

T he namimori  anthem went off.

Tsuna looked around.  “What is that?”

Seiko giggled and nudged him.  “That’s Hibari-kun’s cell phone.”

He answered it, turning his back to them.

Tsuna started to stalk to school.  “Well, I’m gonna be going now.”

“Herbivore.”

Tsuna turned back around but Seiko glared at Hibari.  Hibari ignored her and said to Tsuna, “You know Sasagawa Ryouhei, don’t you?”

Tsuna nodded cautiously.  

Hibari finished, “he’s been attacked.”

Tsuna gasped.  “No!”  And he rushed off away from the school.

Seiko also noticed that Cressa gripped the back of her shirt tightly.  “Oh no…they’re expanding their horizons…it’s not just prefects anymore.”

Hibari put his phone away and glared at Seiko.  “Get to class, now.”

She frowned.  “What’s with you?  I’ll go when I – “

“And don’t leave the school alone.  When class let’s out, wait for me.”

Seiko’s frown started to lift a bit.  He was worried about her?  Without protest, Seiko nudged Cressa towards the school building like he’d told her to.

Kusukabe walked out from where he’d been beyond the gate.  “Do you think they’d sink low enough to attack a small girl?”

Hibari’s eyes narrowed.  “I don’t know anything about these rats.  But I’ll destroy them before they step on my school property.  No one openly attacks my territory and gets out of it alive.”

Kusukabe smirked.  “So… are you going straight to the l a i r of the sharks?”

“I’m waiting.”  Hibari commented.   “Eventually, they’ll come to me looking for a fight.”

Kusukabe frowned.  “But what if – “

“I plan to wait until this evening to hunt them down.”  Hibari told him. “I need to be at school today, attending to my duties.”  He started to walk into school until he stopped.  He glared back at Kusukabe.  “Just in case, guard her.  If anything happens, you’ll be held personally responsible.”

Kusukabe bowed his head.  “Yes sir.”

Everyone in the building was on edge with the attacks.  Whispers were passed back and forth about who would be the target, if they’d have their teeth ripped out.  There were even a few whispered rumors about who was at the heart of the attacks.

Cressa was gripping her hair.  Seiko patted her back.  “Why are you so worked up?  They aren’t after you.”

Cressa looked at Seiko.  “It’s not this stupid delinquent fued that I’m worried about.  I don’t give a shit about them!  You and those freaks can all burn in hell!  I’m more worried about what happened last night…”

Seiko puffed a cheek out.  “It’s in the past.”

“But…they said something weird to me…”  Cressa looked down.  “And…after all of that…I’m not going to take the throne…ever.”  She turned to Seiko.  “I don’t want anything to do with it!  I’m done with the family.”

Seiko frowned.  “You can’t just ditch them.”  She started to say something else when she was distracted by Tsuna talking to Gokudera. 

He said, “Yamamoto stayed home?  Why?”

“Some girl that he’s been hanging out with is feeling really sick.  I guess she collapsed yesterday and he took her back to his place.  She’s really bad so he and his dad are taking care of her.”

Tsuna frowned.  “I hope she’s okay.”

Seiko thought back.  She remembered something.

** “Leona hasn’t been feeling well.” **

Seiko remembered seeing Leona and Yamamoto together a lot and now the worst feeling came to her stomach.  Just how bad was she?  Was Sophia covering up something worse?

Sophia sat her stuff down inside of the sushi shop and trotted up to the owner.  “Where’s Yamamoto and Leona?”

The owner pointed sadly to the staircase.

Sophia rushed up them and saw Leona laying on the couch in the living room.  Yamamoto was next to her, his head propped on the armrest.  Their hands were clenched tightly together.  Both of them were asleep, but Leona looked like she was in serious pain and having issues breathing.

Sophia yanked her shoes off and trotted over to Leona.  She started to touch her when Yamamoto’s eyes shot open and he grabbed her wrist.  “What are you doing?”

Sophia gasped and sighed.  “I was just going to see if she still had a fever.”

Yamamoto sighed and sat back, his usually glowing eyes were sunken and looked stressed.  “She still does.  I just checked a few minutes ago.  She’s having more issues breathing.”  Yamamoto winced when her hand clenched on his.  “She’s in a lot of pain.”

Sophia leaned down.  “Leona, wake up, honey.”

Leona groaned and arched her body.  She tried to respond to Sophia, but she couldn’t get anything forced out.  Sophia urged.  “Leona…I need to know what you’re seeing.  If something bad is going to happen to her, I have to stop it.  Leona…”

She nearly let out a scream and Yamamoto pushed Sophia back.  “Leave her alone.  She needs to rest.”

Sophia frowned, her eyes soft.  “I don’t want to force her any more than you do, but someone’s life is riding on whatever is causing this pain.”  Her lips pursed.  And if Leona herself was in this much pain, then her premonition had to be of something absolutely terrible.

Yamamoto looked down.  “Just let her sleep a little while longer, okay?  She can’t talk right now.”

Sophia nodded and started to leave when a hand snatched out and grabbed her wrist.  Sophia looked back at Leona who gritted her teeth, halfway opening one eye.  She painfully muttered, “M-Mu-Mukuro…”

Instantly, Sophia’s eyes snapped open wide and she dropped the books in her hand.  “My god…no!” She screamed and ran out of Yamamoto’s house.

“Cressa!”  Seiko shouted, chasing after her sister.  Cressa had bolted out of the classroom the moment a boy with blonde hair and dark blue eyes walked in.  She blasted out at full speed, screaming over her shoulder, “Seiko!  That’s the bastard who did it!  I can’t stay there!”

Seiko tried to grab her before she ran out of the school.   “You can’t leave the school!  It’s dangerous, Cressa!”

“It’s more dangerous there with him!”

They bolted down the street…

…alone.

Gokudera leaned to Tsuna.  “Wonder what that was about?”

Tsuna shook his head.  “I dunno.”

The blonde guy walked up to the two of them.  “Hey, you know all those fights?”

Tsuna nodded.  “Yeah, why?”

“I guess the vice prefect, Kusukabe? – Yeah.  He was just found beaten just outside of the school.  Back by the dumpsters.”

Tsuna gasped.  “Oh my gosh…”


	34. Chapter 34

Seiko was getting frustrated.  They were halfway back to Cressa’s house and she was still screaming.  She had almost gotten a hold of her when she rounded a corner, plowing right into someone and knocking back on her butt.  She gasped, crying more.  “Ow…asshole!  Watch where you’re going!”  She cried at the guy.

Seiko put her hands on her shoulders and started to lift her up.  “I’m sorry sir, she’s having a bad day.”

“I’ll say.”  The guy snapped viciously.  “And it’s about to get a whole lot worse.”

The guy next to him, wearing the same green uniform added, “Calm down, Ken.  Don’t waste your time.”

Ken snickered, his tongue out.  “But look, they’re so cute.”

Seiko pulled Cressa up behind her.  She recognized those outfits for only one reason – it was the same as the one that Sophia wore.  “Kokuyo?”

“Yes.”  Ken chuckled.  “Tell me.  What are a couple kids like you doing outside the classroom on a school day?”

“I could ask you the same.”  Seiko started to push Cressa back.  “Look, I don’t want to start trouble.  We’re sorry for bumping into you.”

The guy that was slumped with glasses pulled out a paper.  “Hey Ken, this boy is on the list.  His name is Seiko Himoru.”

Ken cracked his knuckles.  “That changes everything.”

“I’m not a boy!”  Seiko gasped, pushing Cressa back.  She turned her head.  “Cressa, get out of here, now!”

Cressa started to run but Ken reached past Seiko and grabbed her collar.  “No you don’t.”

Seiko just as quickly grabbed Ken’s elbow and yanked him forward, punching him in the face.  As soon as Cressa was free, she dropped on the side walk, heaving as she held back her scream.

Seiko stood over her protectively.

Ken held his face and chuckled.  “You sure punch like a boy.”  He stood up straight.  “This should be fun.”  

Seiko’s eyes widened when he seemed to put in a cartriage of teeth into his mouth.  Suddenly, he looked less human than before.  Seiko stared, shocked.  “What are you?”

“Angry.”  Ken answered, running at her.  He went to tackle her, but Seiko grabbed Cressa and moved aside.  But a small swipe got Cressa.  She screamed in pain and Seiko cursed.  

Seiko snapped at Cressa, “Dammit!  I can’t fight and protect you!”

“Aw, you’re protecting her?”  Ken laughed.  “Here, let me help you!”  He went for Cressa again, but Seiko jumped in the way.  She felt his claws sink into her stomach.  She gasped in pain, but she locked her hands around the guys arm and held him in place.

“Leave…her…alone…”  Seiko ordered, using all of her strength to hold him.  She screamed over her shoulder, “Get the fuck out of here, Cressa!”

Cressa got up on wobbily legs.  “Wh-where do I go?”

“Anywhere!”  Seiko screamed.

Ken grumbled.  “You two…are no fun…I’m done playing with you.”

Seiko gasped when he swung his other hand around and his claws snagged her face.  She felt like her whole world shattered.  The claws raked from the bridge of her nose, above and under her eye and all the way above her ear.  Her vision filled with blood and her own scream echoed back to her as she collapsed to the sidewalk.  She felt the warm blood pooling underneath her.

Suddenly Cressa screamed as well.  “Seiko!  Seiko get up!”

Ken chuckled.  “One down.  Now it’s your turn, little girl.”

Cressa backed up. “N-no…leave me alone…”

Hibari stormed down the hallway and threw open the door to a class room.  He glared around.  His angry eyes landed on Tsuna and his group.  Ignoring the teacher’s questions, he demanded from them.  “Have you seen Seiko?”

“Why?”  Gokudera demanded.

“Kusukabe was supposed to be watching her…but he was sent to the hospital.”  Hibari answered, his eyes darkening.  “Now answer my question, or I’ll bite you to death.”

Tsuna jumped, his hands up.  “She and Cressa went running out of the classroom earlier…”

Hibari’s eyes widened.  “What?  Why?”

Gokudera shook his head.  “How are we supposed to know?  Cressa went crazy.”

Seiko barely lifted her head up.  She spit blood out of her mouth.  “C-cressa…run away…”

Ken glared at Seiko.  “Won’t you just die!?”  He kicked her hard suddenly in the head, sending her rolling across the sidewalk.

Cressa trembled, shaking.  Finally, she shook her head with disbelief, and turned, running across the street.  But three steps into the street, and a vehicle swerved around, hitting her dead-on.

Ken stopped chasing her.  “Oh shit.”

The other guy gaped as the car that ran her over swerved in the street, hitting a couple parked cars on the edge of the road.

Ken looked at the guy with glasses.  “We overdid it.”

The guy shifted his glasses.  “I’m going to check if she’s dead.”

He ran over to her body and gasped as he looked at the bloody mess.  “Oh god…”

Ken stared.  “What do we report to Mukuro-sama!?”

Glasses shook his head.  “She wasn’t the one on the list.”

“Do we need to take the other one’s teeth?”  Ken asked, pointing to Seiko.

“No, let’s just get the hell out of here.”  Glasses ordered, sirens already sounding as they ran.

Sophia was panting by the time she got down the hall where Seiko’s class was.  She pushed the door open, heaving.  Looking around, she didn’t see Seiko.

Her heart started to race.  But she saw Tsuna and Hibari arguing in the back of class.  She let out a relieved sigh.  That meant that Seiko wasn’t too far.  She walked up to them.  “Hey…where’s Seiko?”

Hibari glared at her over his shoulder.  “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

“She ran out of class, that’s all I know!”  Tsuna whined.

“Did she leave campus?”  Sophia asked, starting to panic.  Her phone felt like it got thirty pounds heavier in her pocket.

“I don’t know…!”  Tsuna cried, looking like he was afraid he we going to get hit.

Hibari withdrew.  “Useless herbivore…!”

“H-hey, I!”  Tsuna started.

The classroom door flew open again.  A big chubby student gasped, shouting, “Guys…there was another attack.  You won’t believe it…it was a couple girls.  A-and this time…someone died!”

All of them stared at the student, horror written on their faces.

The hospital was in a frenzy.  Sophia shoved right through them and raced up to the counter.  She shouted at the receptionist, “Who died!?”

The receptionist shook her head.  “I’m sorry.  If you’re not here to see someone specific – “

Hibari walked up on the other side of her, his usual glare now looking feral.  He grabbed the woman’s collar and yanked her forward.  “Is Seiko Himoru here or not?”

The woman trembled with fear.  “I’ll check.”

All of them were holding their breath as she looked through the computer.  Each of them hoped that she wasn’t.  The look on the receptionist’s face sobered.  “Oh my…um…yes.  She was admitted about half an hour ago with another patient…both of them were in critical condition.  The other patient with her…she died within moments of arriving.”

Sophia’s breath came out with haggard relief.  “But Seiko’s not dead…?”

“No.”

“How bad is she?”  Hibari demanded.

The woman shook her head.  “I have no idea, there’s no update on her condition.  You can go back and see her if you like.”  The woman gave them the room number that Seiko was in and sent them on their way.

Sophia walked in the room first.  It was in the intensive care, but the bed was empty.  “What…?”  She backed up and started back for the door when she saw a small red-haired girl standing in front of another room ; her back was to them .  It was a dark room.  Sophia sighed.  “There she is.  Look she’s even on her feet. ”

Sophia walked up behind her.  “Seiko.  There you are.  Are you okay?”

“I messed up…”


	35. Chapter 35

Sophia shook her head.  “Hey, take it easy.  This isn’t your fault.  It’s a freak accident.”

Seiko didn’t move towards them, just kept her back to them, staring into the dark room.  “All I had to do was protect her.  I couldn’t even do that.”

“Hey, no one could have protected a person who did nothing…”  Sophia tried to cheer her up, but she felt like it was a losing battle.

“She was screaming and begging for me to save her…”  Seiko whispered darkly.  “But I couldn’t move…”

Sophia stared at the back of Seiko’s head.  She was beginning to feel sick.  The loss of her sister must really be devastating her.  She didn’t look that bad.  Sophia tried again, “But you did you best right?”

“Yeah.  And look what’s to show for it.”  Seiko heaved her shoulders.  “I’ve screwed up everything.”

“Hey now…” Sophia started.

Seiko started to shake.  “She was counting on me.”

Now she was starting to have enough.  Sophia stomped her foot.  “Stop!  That’s enough!  You can’t get upset that she died because  _ you _  couldn’t protect her!  She had two arms and legs!  I bet she never even once tried to help you!  It’s not fair to bear this burden on your shoulders!  All you can do is just be thankful that you got out of it alright!”

There was a long pause of silence.

Finally she whispered.  “Kind of…”

Sophia stiffened.  “Kind of?  What do you mean?”

Seiko finally turned to face them.  Bandages reached around the whole left side of her face, coving her eye, cheek, and ear.  They all gasped in shock.  Seiko whispered calmly.  “They ran some tests on me…I’ve – at least temporarily – lost sight in my left eye.”

Tsuna gasped,  “My god…Seiko…your face…”

Seiko laughed without humor.  “Does it look pretty bad?  You should see the mess under the bandages.”

“How could they do that to you!?”  Tsuna screamed.  “What did you ever do to them!?”

Seiko started to say something back when the atmosphere seemed to shift suddenly.  Behind Tsuna and Gokudera, she saw that Hibari was standing, his teeth clenched together and his fists clenched so hard that his knuckles turned white.  Rage was boiling over and when he turned away, Seiko’s eyes widened.  “W-wait!”

He started for the door but Seiko raced back to her infirmary room and grabbed her shoes, chasing after Hibari.  She caught up with him outside of the hospital and grabbed his jacket sleeve.  “Stop!  What are you doing?”

He was shaking.  He growled.  “Let go…Seiko.”

“You’re not going after them, are you?”

“Of course I am.”  He snapped, glaring at her.  “Look at you, Seiko!”  He shouted.  He cupped her face with trembling hands.  “They’ve hurt both of the only things I care about in this world and they’re not going to live to enjoy it.”  His whispered through gritted teeth.  “I never should have left your side.  I told you not to leave school!”

Seiko looked away, falling limp.  Hibari gasped and held her up before she fell to the ground.  Seiko was shaking again.  “I just…wanted to protect her…”  She closed her eye as tears began to fall.  “And I couldn’t even do that…”

“Seiko…”  He whispered, pulling her into a tight embrace.  He held her to him, his hand on the back of her head.  “I’m not going to let them get away with this…”

Seiko pulled back, her eye full and round with worry.  “You’re not going to fight them alone, Hibari!  I know you’re strong, but – “

He kissed her suddenly.  The kiss was so deep and so passionate that she lost her train of thought and fell into the kiss.  She gripped his jacket to hold herself up.

Several moments passed and he released her.  His hand brushed her cheek and he softly ordered, “Go.  Rest.  When I come back, if you’ve made your injuries worse, I’ll bite you to death.”

Seiko blushed softly.  “Your logic doesn’t make sense…”

He scooted her back.  “It doesn’t need to.  Now go.”

As she watched him walk away, she felt more and more sick.  She swallowed her breath.

She started to head back when she was stopped by two people.  Her eyes widened.  It was Leona and Yamamoto.  Leona stared at her with wide eyes.  “Seiko…”

She smirked a bit.  “Yeah.  I got beat up.”

Leona moved away from Yamamoto’s support and fell with her arms around her.  “Sophia called me…she told me…about Cressa.”

Seiko looked down.  “Yeah…”  She looked back.  “Now Hibari has gone to fight them…”

Leona gasped.  “What?  Alone?”

Seiko nodded.

“They’ll massacre him.” Sophia informed, walking up.

As soon as she did, Leona punched her in the stomach.  “Don’t say that.”

Seiko stared at them with a wide eye.  “I can’t lose him, too…”  Her whole body started to shake.

Leona looked at Sophia.  “We could follow and watch out for him.”

Sophia shook her head.  “No way…we both know that if we did that, then she’d jump in the middle to interrupt.”

“We’ll hold her back.”  Leona argued.

Sophia gave an unsure look at her, but to Seiko, it looked like she was holding something back.  Then Seiko remembered.  “Sophia…those guys…were from your school.”

Sophia looked down.

Leona’s eyes narrowed.  “More than that…she’s got…relationships…with one of them.”  She explained.  “I haven’t decided if she’s involved or not.”

Sophia shook her head.  “Mukuro-sama never told me that he was going to do this…”  She whispered.  “I had no idea…but I’m afraid to confront him alone…I don’t know how deep his feelings for me are…”

“Well…you’re on our side, right?”  Leona urged.  “Then come with us.  If he finds us, then you can have this discussion.  If he turns on you, we’ll help you.”

Sophia nodded.  “Then let’s go.”

Leona looked at Yamamoto.  “Will you go tell the others that Seiko is with us and not to worry?”

Yamamoto hesitated, his eyes filled with worry.  “I really don’t think you should go alone…”

“We’re not fighting.”  Leona stated.  “No matter what.”

Yamamoto nodded.  “Call me as soon as you guys are out of there.”  He rushed off to the hospital.

Leona and Sophia turned, looking at Seiko.  Leona asked, “Ready?”

Seiko nodded.

As they headed after Hibari, Sophia looked at Leona.  “So you’re feeling better?”

Leona nodded.  “I started feeling better shortly before you called me.  I think…as soon as my premonition came true,  I was okay.”

Sophia sighed.  “I had a feeling it would work out that way.”

Seiko looked up when they arrived at a large building.  The sign out front said, “Kokuyo Health Center”. “Is this it?” Seiko questioned, looking skeptically.

“I’d guess so, look.”  Leona ordered, pointing at a bunch of students laying about, groaning in pain.

Seiko’s eyes widened.  “Oh no…he must be in a really bad mood.”

Leona giggled.  “I don’t know what we’re worried about.  If he’s knocking these guys out right and left, it’ll be smooth sailing for him.”

Sophia didn’t look so sure.

Seiko whispered, “So…what about  t his Mukuro guy…?”

Sophia looked down.  “I…I think Mukuro is stronger, still…””

Seiko tried to ignore the hope in her voice.  Without waiting on them, she ran up the steps, following the trail of bodies.

Up ahead, they heard a noise and Seiko slowed to a stop.  Through a wall of broken glass, they saw a guy laying on the floor.

He was unconscious at Hibari’s feet.

Sophia’s breath caught.  Ahead of Hibari was Mukuro, sitting on a run-down couch.  Seiko leaned to Sophia.  “Is that him?  Mukuro?”

Sophia nodded.

Seiko frowned.  “That’s not the guy who attacked me.  And I haven’t seen them yet.”

“They’re probably still looking for more people to attack.”  Leona confessed.

Mukuro  said , “You’ve finally come.”

“It took a while to find you.”  Hibari casually stated.  “I’m guessing that you’re the one behind this.”

Mukuro chuckled.  “Something Like that.  Once I’m done, I’m going to be bringing a new order to this town.”

Hibari glared.  “Namimori doesn’t need t w o orders.”

“Oh I agree.”  Mukuro smiled.  “And that’s why I’m getting rid of you.”

Sophia’s eyes widened.  “He didn’t tell me…”

Seiko glared at Sophia accusingly.  “Are you in on this?”

Sophia shook her head.  “No!  I had no idea!”  She gritted her teeth and looked at Mukuro.  Her eyes were filling with regret.  Why hadn’t he told her about this?  He had told her about his plan for revenge against the mafia, but what did attacking Seiko and Hibari have anything to do with this?

Hibari held up his tonfa and several sharp spikes stuck out from the metal.  He coolly snapped, “That will not happen.  I’m in a very bad mood.”

“Aw, why is that?”  Mukuro asked with fake concern.

Hibari glared harder.  “You hurt someone you shouldn’t have ever gone near.”  He started forward.  “So right here, right now, I’m going to bite you to death.”


	36. Chapter 36

Mukuro chuckled.  “You say some pretty cute stuff…”

Hibari started to spin his tonfas.  “Are you going to die in your seat?”

Mukuro leaned back on the couch.  “Oh, no.  I’m still sitting because I don’t need to stand.”

Seiko felt sweat trickle down her neck.  How could he be acting so cool when Hibari was so pissed off?  Wasn’t he intimidated at all?

Hibari grumbled.  “Enough talk.  Fight me.”

Mukuro sighed.  “Suit yourself.  But if you don’t talk now, you’re never going to get a chance to do it again.”

Seiko felt her stomach knot up at about the same time that Leona gripped her head.   A terrible feeling overwhelmed her.

Sophia leaned to Leona.  “Hey what’s wrong…?”

“Another premonition…”  Leona whispered quietly.

Seiko felt a scream try to work out.  “N-no…who?”

Leona couldn’t answer as she crumpled to the floor.

Sophia told Seiko, “Wait a few minutes and she’ll regain consciousness.  This happens when she gets new ones.”

Seiko turned back to Mukuro and Hibari.  Her eyes widened when she noticed that Hibari seemed uneasy on his feet.  Was he…scared?

Mukuro laughed.  “You’re starting to sweat.  What could possibly be wrong?”

“Shut up.”  Hibari ordered.

“I was just worried about you, that’s all.  Pull yourself together.”  Mukuro ordered.  “I would hate to think that you’re not in top condition.”

Hibari started to step towards him, except it wasn’t towards him.  He started off to the other side of the room.

Mukuro smirked.  “Hello?  I’m over here.”

Hibari gasped and glared back over in his direction.

Mukuro was chuckled.  “You see, I know a little secret about you.  I’m sure not even your little girlfriend knows.”

Hibari’s eyes narrowed more.

Mukuro finished, “Your weakness is cherry blossoms.  Poor thing.  You get so dizzy and dysfunctional around them.”

Seiko’s eyes widened when she saw him stumble a couple steps back.  “Wha-what?”

Sophia covered her mouth.  “Oh no…”

Mukuro stood up.  “Now you see why I wasn’t concerned about you at all?”

Hibari lifted his tonfa, ready for him to come close enough.  When Mukuro was close, his swing was slow and Mukuro easily moved around it.  But he punched Hibari as hard as he could right in the stomach.

Seiko watched in horror as he dropped to the ground.  On the way down, Mukuro kicked him in the same place and then elbowed the back of his head.  Seiko couldn’t hold back her scream as Mukuro just unleashed a flurry of attacks on him.

The tonfas fell from his hands.

Mukuro caught Hibari by the hair when he heard the scream.  He looked over at the glass.  The first one he saw was Sophia.  “There you are…why have you been hiding?”

Sophia stood up.  “E-er…I just got back, Mukuro-sama.”

He smiled.  “And you brought company?”  He looked at Seiko.   He threw Hibari like a rag doll towards her.  “Recognize her?  Or can’t you see through the pain?”

Seiko’s eyes widened and she started to lunge for Mukuro to rip him apart with her bear hands, but Sophia held her back.  “Stop!  Don’t do that, he’ll kill you!”

Seiko snarled.  “No, I’ll kill him!  Let Hibari go right now you stupid jackass!”

Mukuro lifted Hibari by the head again.  “Aw, look she’s really worried about you.  But Sophia is so nice, she’s making it so that I don’t have to beat her up too.”

Hibari spit out some blood and his hatred-filled gaze turned from Mukuro to Seiko.  “Get out of here…right…now…”

Seiko screamed.  “No you bastard!  I’ll kill you!”

Mukuro chuckled.  “She’s threatening me…I don’t think I appreciate that.”  He lifted Hibari on back up and punched him in the face as hard as he could.

The sick cracking sound made tears prick Seiko’s eyes and she screamed.  “STOP!!!”

Sophia pulled Seiko away from the window.  She struggled to grab Leona and pull her up as well.  Seiko was going nuts in her hold  but she made it away from the health center before Seiko went limp and started crying.  “We can’t leave him there like that!  Sophia!  Take me back!”

“I can’t…”

Seiko glared at her.  “Don’t tell me that you’re on that bastard’s side!  You said you weren’t!”

Sophia shook her head.  “No, but we can’t afford to let you die…”  She whispered.  

Seiko elbowed her and they all fell to the ground.  But Seiko gave up and just kept crying.  “Then make him stop…Sophia please…!  He’s gonna kill him…!”

“I’ll make sure Mukuro-sama doesn’t kill him, okay?”  Sophia assured, “Just please go home…”

Seiko was trembling as she sat up.  “F-fine…”  She started to walk off when Leona woke up.

Sophia looked at her expectantly.  “What was your premonition?”

Leona rubbed her head.  “I-I don’t remember…it was…complicated…”  She looked at Seiko and saw the tears.  “Oh my god, what’s wrong?  What happened?”

Seiko was trembling.  “Mukuro is going to kill Hibari…”

Leona whipped around, glaring at Sophia.  “You…”

Sophia glared back.  “Don’t blame me!  I just saved her life!  She was going to get in the middle.”

Leona got up.  “No, Seiko.  Whatever happens to Hibari, happens…but you have to stay alive, okay?”

Seiko stared at them and then shouted, “What’s so important about me!?  Huh!?”  She stomped her foot.  “From day one, all you guys say about anything is that I need to live…that the heir to the family has to – “  She froze, her eyes wide.  “Oh my god…”

Sophia and Leona both looked opposite direction.

Seiko choked on her breath.  “You knew…that Cressa was going to die…and that I was going to be stepping up…”

Leona nodded.  “Yes…we did.”

“Why?  Then why weren’t you protecting her!?”  Seiko screamed.

“We were trying to protect you both…”  Leona confessed, “but you were better suited…so we made you the higher priority.”

Seiko shook her head.  “Both of you…stay away from me…”  She turned and ran.  She took off down the street, going to the only place she knew that she could find any help.  By the time she got to the house, she was crying as she knocked on the door.

Nana answered.  “Seiko-chan?  What’s wrong?  Are you okay?”  She turned and called up the stairs.  “Tsuna!  Another of your friends is here!”

Tsuna, Gokudera, and Yamamoto ran downstairs.  They looked at her worriedly.

Gokudera ran up to her.  “What’s wrong?  What happened?  What did that jerk do?”

Seiko collapsed, unable to hold herself up any longer.  Gokudera caught her and kept her from falling all the way down.  He helped her to the table.

She shook as she cried.  “I-I know…th-that this is asking a lot…”  She looked up at Tsuna.  “But I need your help!  I don’t know who else to ask…”

“Ask…?”  Tsuna winced, the look on his face saying he knew that he’d regret asking what she wanted.

Seiko took a big breath and whispered, “Hibari…he’s in trouble…”  She said.  “I-I know that none of you like him…but if someone doesn’t do something…he’s going to die…”

Tsuna’s eyes widened.  “They even beat Hibari-san?”  Tsuna frowned.  “I know you want help, but why me?  I mean…Hibari-san is stronger than all of us, so what can we do?”

Seiko shook and looked down.  “He was alone.  And sometimes…you get really strong.  Can’t you guys…do anything?”

Tsuna waved his hands.  “Fighting isn’t really my thing…those were all circumstancial.”

All of a sudden, Reborn kicked Tsuna’s head.  Reborn shouted, “How dare you say no to your family member, Stupid-Tsuna?”

Tsuna whined.  “But I’m too weak!  I can’t do something that Hibari-san can’t!”

Reborn glared.  “So you won’t even try?”  he pointed to Seiko.  “Look at the condition she’s in.  Don’t you want to help?”

Tsuna frowned.  “I do…but…”

Gokudera crossed his arms.  “I’m with the boss.  What has that jerk ever done for us?”

Seiko looked down.

Reborn looked at Gokudera.  “A true right hand man would make sure that a family member was never sacrificed or left behind.”

Gokudera stiffened.

Tsuna sighed.  “Alright…fine…we’ll help…”

Seiko smiled brightly.  “Oh, thank you, Tsuna!”

Yamamoto looked at her curiously.  “Where is Leona?”

“She’s probably on her way to your place.”

“Then I should get home.”  He stated, waving bye to everyone.


	37. Isolated Showers

All the next day, Seiko had been confined to her hospital room.  She had apparently reopened her wound with all of her reckless running around the day before.  She was texting Leona constantly for updates.

Gokudera had been on the list of people to attack that Glasses had been looking at the day before.  But Tsuna and Yamamoto had saved him.

Fed up, she called Leona.  “I want to help!”

Leona groaned.  “No.  Stay there.  You’re in bad enough shape.”

“I can help!”  She screamed.  “Just let me!”

Leona sighed.  “Seiko…don’t make me explain to you that if we get Hibari back and you get the shit beat even more out of you, he’ll hang us all.  Just stay there.”

Leona hung up on Seiko before she could whine any more.  She loved the girl to death, but she made her job harder.  She looked at the others.  Tsuna had gotten a letter from the Ninth that it was his duty to stop Mukuro.

All of them were here now in order to not only rescue Hibari, but to complete their first mission together.

As soon as they went through the gate, a few animals started attacking.  Gokudera hit the first one, just to discover that it was dead on contact.  He gasped, “What the hell!?”

A couple more attacked.  Leona danced out of the way of one that came at her.  “Why are we getting dead animals thrown at us?”

Gokudera grunted.  “I have a bad feeling about this.”

When another one came, Yamamoto kicked it away.  “I never thought we’d be attacked by corpses.”

Leona kneeled down to one of the bodies.  “It’s like their bodies are being controlled like puppets.”  Over her shoulder, the ground made a ripping sound.  She gasped when behind Yamamoto, the ground opened up and swallowed him whole.  Racing over to him, she screamed his name.

At the bottom of the whole he groaned.  “That didn’t feel good.”

Tsuna’s eyes were wide as he looked down.  “Be careful Yamamoto!  There’s something down there with you!”

Leona looked at Tsuna and then back down.  She said, “I’m going down there to help him.”

“No wait – “ But it was too late, Tsuna couldn’t stop her.

Leona landed softly on her feet.  She started to move when a hand brushed her shoulder.  It was Yamamoto.  He informed, “You shouldn’t have come down here, it’s dangerous.”

“It’s dangerous for just one person to be fighting in the dark.”  Leona confessed.  “I’m your back up.”

“Do you have a weapon?”  Yamamoto asked.

Leona moved her hands in a circle and a blue outline formed in the air.  It then curved and formed what looked like a crescent moon shaped spear.  “Yeah, I’m not defenseless.”

Yamamoto nodded.  “Good.”

Leona turned and they pressed their backs to each other.  “Now…just what in the world are we fighting?”

 

Sophia held a book close to her chest as she walked over broken glass.  She walked up behind the couch and shyly asked, “Are you mad?”

Mukuro who was leaning there snickered, “I’m not mad.  You were running on instinct.  That girl was a friend of yours, right?”

Sophia paused.  “Was?”

“She’s out of the way right?  If she’s a friend of yours, I’d rather not have to kill her.”  Mukuro confessed, looking at her.  “Make sure she stays in the hospital if you want her to live.”

Sophia looked down.  “Mukuro-sama…there’s something else I want to ask.”

“What?”  He asked sharply.

“Sh-she…”  Sophia took a big breath.  “The only way to keep her out of the way is if you release Hibari-san.”

Mukuro laughed.  “You’re joking right?”

“N-no…”

“Find another way to suspend her then.”  Mukuro ordered.  “He’s staying where he’s at.  He’s a resilient one.”

“But – “

Mukuro raised a hand.  “Please don’t upset me.”

Sophia stared, getting frustrated.  But now wasn’t the time to pick a fight.  So instead, she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me about your whole plan?”  She demanded.  “All you said is that you wanted to possess Tsuna.  I said that I would help you with that.  You didn’t say anything about beating people up in Namimori.”

Mukuro sighed.  “You usually don’t complain so much.”

Sophia looked down.  “You’ve…never betrayed me before.”

Mukuro stood up.  “You think that I’ve betrayed you?”

Sophia took a step back, her skin crawling with fear.  “Well you lied to me…and…”

Mukuro gripped her shoulders.  “People lie, Sophia.  It’s a fact of life.  In order to get what I want, sometimes you have to manipulate people’s feelings.”

“But…Mukuro…”  Sophia started, her wide eyes gazing into his.

His right red eye started to shift and the symbol changed suddenly.  Sophia felt herself go weak as Mukuro whispered, “Now…I need a favor from you…”

 

Seiko kicked off her bed sheets and cursed, marching over to the window.  “This is ridiculous.”  She leaned her forehead on the window.  “I know I can help them…”  She flipped open her phone.  Leona hadn’t texted her for a while.  She called, wandering how things were going.

No answer.

She cursed and started to march out when her door opened.  Her eyes widened as a tall man with shaggy brown hair stood in her way.  “Aw, aren’t you a cute one?”

Seiko glared.  After everything that had happened, she couldn’t trust him.  She demanded, “Who are you?”  She took a step back, her hand instinctively going to her bandage covered eye.

The guy held up his hand.  “Easy, easy.  I’m not your enemy.”

Seiko shied back.  “How am I supposed to know that?”  Seiko asked.  She shouted, “I don’t even know what’s going on!”  She looked away.  “I can’t tell who is an enemy and who isn’t.”

The guy sighed.  “Well, I’m just a doctor.”

Seiko dropped back on her bed.  “And you’re going to scold me for not doing what I’m supposed to?”

The doctor chuckled.  “I should, shouldn’t I?”

Seiko looked at him, her eyes widening.  “You’re not?”

“The only way you can get out of this hospital is with a doctor’s permission.”  He informed, pulling a slip of paper out of his pocket.

Seiko kept watching him.  “Yes?”

He snickered, enjoying her defensiveness.  “You want to help your family, don’t you?”

Seiko got back to her feet.  “Are you going to – “

The doctor handed the paper to her.  “Get out of here.  Help them.”

Seiko took the paper and went flying out of the hospital as fast as she could.  “I’m coming guys…!”


	38. Gale-Force Winds

Yamamoto pulled Leona out of the way of a sudden attack. They both moved back into the darkness. He looked at her over his shoulder. "You don't need to be fighting. I can handle this on my own."

Leona stared at him a moment and then her eyes locked back on their attacker. She whispered, "I'm not weak, Yama-kun. I'm strong. You know that I'm not normal."

He stared at her for a long moment. Ken lunged back at them but Leona swung her scythe, blocking them both from the attack. Ken made a whimpering noise and flew back into the shadows. Yamamoto looked straight back ahead, responding to her with, "I know you're not weak. By no means do I think you are. But...I want to be the one to protect you."

Leona's eyes widened and Ken suddenly jumped over them from above. Yamamoto pulled her out of the way and kicked Ken as he landed on the ground. He rolled away again, concealing himself in the darkness. He set Leona down. "I know that it would probably go the other way around." Yamamoto confessed. "But...I would like to try to be the one to protect you. It's just this thing..." He stood up and glared at Ken when he stepped from the darkness. "I really hate when people assault my friends."

Ken pulled out his teeth, snickering. "Aren't you two just the cutest things?" He put in a new set of teeth and he became suddenly bulky like he was a giant ape. "Too bad I have to rip you apart like I did your little friend."

Suddenly all of them were wide eyed and staring.

Leona gripped the back of Yamamoto's shirt. Her voice was a hiss. "You...you're the one that did that to Seiko?"

Ken chuckled. "Yeah. It was the easiest fight ever. She threw herself right into my attack because she wanted her dear sister to make it out alive." Ken laughed out loud. "It was the most pathetic thing I had ever seen!"

Leona felt herself starting to tremble with rage.

Ken finished, "And you know what the best part is? The dumb bitch threw herself right into a car afterwards. We didn't kill that other girl. She did it herself."

"She was probably scared." Leona whispered, gently pushing Yamamoto back. "She isn't strong and this world is designed to pick on those who can't protect themselves. People like you think the weak have no place in this world. She was probably so scared that she didn't see it coming. She died crying..." Leona gripped her chest. "I can feel it."

Tsuna's gaze softened as he watched and listened to Leona.

"I am the water." Leona whispered suddenly. "I can sense the flow of emotion coming to and from the people around me. My emotions are reflections of theirs. I can feel everything and I lay in wait, watching the flow of time open up right before my eyes. I know when a person will die before it happens." Leona winced when she suddenly felt a flash of pain.

A car slammed into her mental concious. Beside her, she heard Seiko screaming. Everything was numb and blurry.

Leona began to cry. "I can feel them die..." Her hands clenched into fists as her concious took her back. Back to the desparity, the desire to save someone - anyone, even if it was a person who cared nothing for her. She felt the attack. The pain of nearly having the left side of her face ripped off. "I can feel their pain..."

Ken chuckled. "What are you? A premonitionist?"

Yamamoto put his hands in his pockets and stepped back. "I don't think this is my fight anymore..." He stated casually.

Suddenly the air around Leona grew a hundred times stronger. It lashed at her hair and her eyes began to glow a baby blue. Leona shouted, "I am the Water!" She lifted her hands and the ground beneath her feet rumbled. Her white dress lifted up, exposing a small blue gem on the inside of her thigh. It as glowing just a bright as her eyes. "I won't let you get away with hurting them!"

Tsuna stood up, eyes wide. "How is she doing that?"

Reborn crossed his arms, a smile on his lips. "Leona has a very special ability. She's going to be a great asset to your family."

Tsuna looked at Reborn, a frustrated look on his face. "This family thing again. You never mentioned Leona as - "

"I know." Reborn tipped his hat down. "But both Leona and Yamamoto are also a part of your family. They are fighting to help you, you know?"

Ken charged at Leona again. But before he could reach Leona, Yamamoto grabbed his shoulders, stopping him in mid-charge. "I don't think so." He snapped. He looked back at Leona. "So whatever you're going to do to this guy, you should do it soon."

Ken snarled and whipped his hand around, slamming Yamamoto in the chest. He flew across the inground area but he was caught when a rush of water came up and gently set him down. He smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "Thank you."

Leona turned her eyes back on Ken and the water surged forward, slamming hard into his body and ramming him against the wall. She held her arm steady, letting the pounds of water push him further and further back.

Yamamoto placed a hand on her shoulder. "Easy. Don't get carried away."

Leona felt the tears down her cheeks. "He hurt them...so much..." She gritted her teeth, her fingers beginning to tremble. "They both suffered...."

Yamamoto wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her in close. He whispered softly to her. "I know...but you're not like them...you're not the kind of person to make someone else suffer to. You don't want revenge."

Leona collapsed against Yamamoto and let her arm fall. Ken dropped, unconcious to the ground. Yamamoto held Leona up and smiled. "That's my girl."

Tsuna watched them, his expression soft. "They care so much about each other..."

Reborn nodded. "Leona is very passionate. Anything that she cares about becomes a soul part of her existence. When someone threatens someone that is apart of her life, she reacts very negatively. She's one of those that will give her all to protect those around her. She's even been known to protect strangers."

Tsuna blinked. "What? How do you know that?"

Reborn smiled up at him. "When you and Yamamoto fell off the school rooftop...it was Leona that saved you."

Tsuna gasped, remembering falling in what seemed like a pool of water, but actually landed on the ground. It reminded him of what he'd just seen happen in the fight just now. "That was...Leona...?"

"She knew Yamamoto, but she saved you as well, Tsuna." Reborn explained. "She's also protected many other people in her life."

Tsuna clenched his hands into fists. "And now she's helping us achieve our goal as well...for no other reason but because she wants to..." He swallowed hard and shouted, "Leona!"

Leona looked up at Tsuna in surprise. "What is it?"

Tsuna bit his lip and said, "You don't have to fight if you don't want to. You don't have to put your life on the line. We know you care about us. You don't have to go any further into danger."

Leona smiled warmly and looked at Yamamoto. "Are you going to keep helping him?"

"Yeah. He's my best friend." Yamamoto informed.

Leona squeezed Yamamoto's hand. "Then I'm going too." She looked back up at Tsuna. "Sorry, Tsuna, but you're not getting rid of me that easily!"


	39. Flooding Water

Seiko slowed to a stop as she ran down the street. She was exhausted. Despite the rest of her body being realitively uninjured, the medicine and everything was getting to her. She wasn't used to having vision in only one eye. It made her feel woozie and lop-sided.

She leaned on the gate of the Kokuyo health center. She had to help them though. She started through the gate when she heard a rustling. Looking over towards the brush just beside the gate, she saw a small girl come out.

Her brown and blonde streaked hair fell to her shoulders, her bangs covering her face. Seiko stared until she finally recognized her. "Sophia?"

Sophia looked at her, a sober curve of her lips making any hope Seiko had disappear. "Sophia, what's wrong?"

"Listen Seiko..." She whispered, her sad gaze looking up at the tall building in the back of center. "Don't go after Mukuro."

"I have to get Hibari back!" Seiko argued. "I'm not letting him remain with him any longer."

Sophia pursed her lips together. "It's useless Seiko."

Seiko's heart began to race. "Useless? What do you mean, useless? Where is he!? What has he done to him!?" She ran at Sophia but she caught both of Seiko's wrists and made her stay put.

"Seiko..." Sophia mumbled. "It's over. Just stop."

Seiko was shaking and she nearly collapsed. "What do you mean over? What has Mukuro done to him!?" She gripped Sophia's collar. "You promised that you wouldn't let Mukuro kill him! Where is he!? Take me to Hibari!"

Sophia's eyes softened until they were dark under the shadow of her bangs. "Go back to the hospital."

"You lied to me, Sophia..." Seiko broke down crying, the force of her tears causing her wounded eye to hurt underneath the bandages. She pressed her hand to them as her tiny body trembled with shuddering breaths. "How could you...?"

"Do you want me to escort you back?" Sophia asked. "There was nothing I could do, okay? It wasn't within my power."

"I doubt you even tried!" Seiko screamed. She gripped her shirt and yanked her down to the ground. "You let him die!" She raised her fist to hit Sohpia but she easily caught it. Sophia pushed her back up.

"Seiko, calm down. You wouldn't be able to fight like this anyway." Sophia cooed, standing up. "Just go back to the hospital."

Seiko ran at her again, but Sophia gently pushed her back. Seiko fell back in the brush, a limb catching her shirt and ripping it across her chest as she fell. Seiko cursed her weakness.

Sophia stepped into the brush with her, her sad eyes watching her. "I don't want to fight you, Seiko. Don't blame me for this."

Seiko sat up, tears slipping down her face.

Sophia's eyes widened. "S-Seiko..."

She looked up at her with her one good eye. "What?!"

"Your gem..." Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the small ruby three inches down from the middle of her collarbone, resting upon her sternum. "It's so close to your heart..."

Seiko covered her chest up and shied away. "Shut up!"

Sophia began to tremble. "Then that means..." She gasped and suddenly gripped her head. Her body began to shake and she shouted, "Seiko! Run now!"

Seiko's eyes widened. Sophia's eyes were beginning to darken into black voids of nothing. Seiko stood and demanded, "What's going on?"

Sophia went suddenly still. Her shoulders trembled and she lifted her head. She walked to Seiko and grabbed her torn collar, picking her up off her feet. Seiko's hands trembled. "S-Sophia...what are you...?"

With her other hand, she reached inside of her jacket and pulled out a dagger with three prongs. Sophia raised it as though she was going to stab her. "Stop! Sophia!"

Sophia swung the dagger and Seiko let out a scream.

 

Leona paused and looked back.

Tsuna shivered, "Did anyone else hear that?"

Gokudera frowned. "It sounded absolutely terrible. Like...someone getting attacked..."

Leona felt her heart skip a beat. "I have a bad feeling about this..."

Yamamoto looked at her curiously. "Do you want to go back and check?"

Leona nodded.

They started to take off when Tsuna shouted, "Wait!"

Yamamoto and Leona looked back at him. Tsuna shyly stated, "What if...what if it's a trap and they're trying to seperate us? I think we need to stick together."

Leona frowned. "I suppose that is possible."

"I think you should be more worried about other things." A girl in a Kokuyo uniform mocked, a flute in her hands. "Like living."

Reborn smiled. "We have a new enemy now."

The girl put the flute to her lips and suddenly a huge blast towards them, blowing up the nearby picnik table that they were all walking beside.

Leona cursed. "I'm sick of this." She shouted at the girl. "Take us to Mukuro right now!"

The girl turned the flute on her and the wind caught Leona and threw her back. Yamamoto wrapped himself around her last minute so they both flew back into a tree.

Leona gasped in pain. Yamamoto braced his hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

Leona nodded slowly and then glared at the girl. "Where is Mukuro?"

"You don't learn do you?" The girl laughed. She blew on her flute again. When the blast came at them this time, however, Gokudera threw bombs at her, causing the blast to be cut off halfway through.

Tsuna shouted. "Why are you helping him!? He's evil!"

The girl ran at Tsuna and her flute split into two pieces. She hit Tsuna right in the face, but Gokudera caught the other side of it. He yanked the flute right from her and then dropped a few bombs at her feet. The woman gasped as she suddenly erupted in an explosion.

Gokudera turned to Tsuna. "Are you okay, boss!?"

Tsuna nodded. "I'm fine..." He rubbed his cheek and Reborn kicked him. "You're useless."

Leona and Yamamoto limped back to the group. Leona said, "Now...about that scream."

"We should head back. Some of Mukuro's men may be attacking more people." Tsuna suggested.

"But why would anyone come this far out?" Gokudera asked. "Unless..."

Leona quietly finished, "They were coming here for a specific reason..."

 

Mukuro laughed and leaned back on the couch. "How are you feeling, Chikusa?"

Chikusa adjusted his glasses. "Better. Those two surprised me."

"I hope you weren't too surprised, because there's some people on their way here." Mukuro informed. "I want you to make sure that only the tenth vongola boss makes it up to this floor."

Chikusa smirked just a bit. "What am I supposed to do with the others?"

Mukuro got up off the couch. "What you do best.

Kill them."


	40. Changing Fronts

Sophia had a hold of Seiko by the throat, the dagger just milimeters from her nose. Seiko kept a hold of her wrist, keeping her from stabbing in the face. But if something didn't happen soon, she was going to suffocate. "You're...not....Sophia..." She growled through gritted teeth.

Sophia chuckled darkly. "Really? Then who am I?"

"You're that bastard..." Seiko gasped and gagged when she tried to take in a breath. "You're Mukuro..."

"That's right." Sophia chuckled. "That's who I am. And I know who you are. Sophia has told me about the gems. The powers they contain."

Seiko was beginning to tremble. She was losing strength. "So what?"

"All of you...need to be on my side. I'll create an army of your strength in order to overthrow those mafiosos and take charge of their world."

Seiko fell back against a tree. "No. I'll never join someone as corrupt as you! And you can't use Sophia like this! I'm sure you're doing something! You won't let her leave, will you?!" Seiko screamed.

Sophia pressed the dagger harder.  "Sophia is with me...of her own accord.  I'm not forcing her to do anything."

"I know she's not evil like you..."  Seiko growled.

"Then why isn't she fighting me...?"  Sophia challenged.  Seiko suddenly let the dagger go and dropped so it hit the bark of the tree instead of her.  She let out a loud gasp and crawled away from her before she could attack again.

Seiko got back to her feet.  "I think...because she loves you..."

Sophia stopped suddenly, awe in her expression.  "What?"

Seiko kept her distance while she explained, "I don't know your history together, or really anything about either of you...but when I'm near her, I sense something deep.  Like she's struggling with something she won't let anyone be apart of.  But she's helped me so much...the only time she's ever hesitated is when it comes to you..."  Seiko took a deep breath.  "She doesn't want to betray you...but she  knows that what you're doing is wrong!"

"Shut up!"  Sophia screamed, punching Seiko so hard she flew backwards into the wall around the health center and fell to the ground.  "You don't know anything about Sophia or I, so don't act like you do!  You don't know what we've gone through!"

"No.  But I do."

Sophia and Seiko looked over to see Leona and the others standing in the gate.  Leona glared.  "Seiko, you were supposed to stay in the hospital."

"I couldn't let you guys do this alone."  Seiko argued.

Sophia's eyes narrowed on Leona.  "And what do you know?"

Leona looked at her hands.  "I know the pain that Sophia had to endure.  Both of you were tossed aside by your families.  You were sent to the same orphanage together.  And then picked up by the same mafioso experimenters...You've never left each other's sides...You're both hurting but you won't share it with anyone else."  Leona held her hand out.  "Don't make us fight each other.  We can help you."

Sophia started to laugh.  "Help?  If you want to help, then hurry up and get to health center.  I can't wait to fight you all and watch you squirm as you die!"  She stepped away, flustered.  She stumbled before leaping over the fence and disappearing into the forest.

Leona rushed over to Seiko.  "Go back to the hospital, Seiko!"

Seiko shook her head.  "I'm fighting with you guys."

"No, it's too dangerous."  Leona paused, staring at Seiko's chest.

Seiko put her arms over herself and glared.  "What?"

Leona looked back up at her face.  "Seiko...I didn't know...that your gem was there."

"So what if it is!?"  Seiko screamed.

Leona pursed her lips.  "But, that means that..."

"Let it go..."  Seiko grumbled.

Leona shook her head.  "Seiko, go back to the hospital and wait for us there."

"I can't do that."  Seiko argued.

"Yes you can.  You have to."  Leona snapped.  "You can't fight in your condition.  Besides, I don't want you getting any more hurt than you are already."

Seiko puffed her cheeks.  "You guys don't understand...this isn't optional for me.  I need to know...that I can protect someone..."  She whispered, looking at them with full eyes.  "I need to know that I'm not useless...cause I feel like I've let down my only purpose in life..."

Tsuna shook his head.  "That's crazy for you to think that!"

Seiko looked at him, her gaze sad.  "Why is that crazy?"

He stuttered, realizing all eyes were on him.  "W-well..."  He looked at all of his friends, and all of the people gathered here.  "None of us want to lose anyone else today.  We know how you feel.  But you're injured and it's more likely that you're going to get even more hurt.  None of us want that."

Gokudera made a face.  "Yeah, and when we do get Hibari back, we don't want him knocking the shit out of us if you get hurt worse."

Seiko's gaze softened.  Hibari...

Sophia had said he was dead.  Or was it Mukuro?  She felt her heart going a hundred miles an hour.  Was that the truth?  Or was it just something that was said to get her worked up?  She felt hot tears start in her eye.

Leona looked down.  "Don't give up hope, Seiko."  She kneeled down.  "We're going to bring him back."

Seiko started crying and she pressed her head to Leona's shoulder.  "We have to bring him back alive, Leona...we have to."

Leona ran her hand through the short strands on Seiko's scalp.  "We'll do everything within our power."

She looked up at her.  "I'm going with you.  I'll let you guys do the fighting, but let me go with you.  I'll go crazy waiting for you guys to come back."

Leona started to protest but Yamamoto touched her shoulder.  "Just let her come.  We can protect her."

Leona stared with wide eyes at him.  She put herself in Seiko's place and Yamamoto where Hibari was.  The vision passed through her mind in much the way her premonitions did.  She felt her stomach wrench with pain.  She torn between heartbreak, agony, frustration, and helplessness.  She just needed something to grab a hold of.  Some promise of escaping from the torment or she was going to drown in it.

She turned back to Seiko.  "Okay.  You can come.  But if we tell you to stay back, you have to, got it?"

Seiko nodded.  "Right."

"Then let's go!"  Gokudera shouted.

 

Sophia stopped in the main room of the health center where Mukuro was sitting unconcious on the couch.  Sophia gasped and collapsed to the floor.  She held her head, feeling a terrible headache coming on.  She moaned while Mukuro opened his eyes.

Mukuro gritted his teeth and jumped to his feet.  He shouted, "Chikusa!"

Sophia reached out.  "Mukuro, wait!  What are you going to do?"

Mukuro glared when Chikusa came in.  He snarled.  "Chikusa, kill the scraggler in the other room.  And when the group gets here, destroy that white-haired one with the big mouth."

Sophia felt tears coming to her eyes.  "Mukuro-sama, no!"  She wailed.

Mukuro leaned down to her and cupped her face.  "It's okay, Sophia, no one is ever going to pick on us again, okay?"

Sophia felt the tears dripping down.  "They aren't picking on us..."

Mukuro was walking away though, not hearing her.  Sophia shook on the ground.  What was she suppsed to do?  He was going to kill them.  She had tried so hard to keep them out of harm's way.

Couldn't she do just this one thing?


	41. Whirlwind Dilemmas

Seiko followed the others closer and closer to the recreation center.

A man with a bunch of birds flying around him was chuckling.  He had a video moniter set up and on the screen was Kyoko and Haru.  "What's going on?"  Seiko asked.

The guy chuckled.  "See my targets?"

Tsuna screamed, "Kyoko!?  Haru!?  Why would you involve them!?"

Seiko's hands clenched into fists.  "Because that's the under handed tactics these bastards use.  None of them fight fair."

The guy informed, "Unless you want to watch your little girlfriend die, I'll offer you a compromise."  He pointed at Tsuna, "Punch him."

Tsuna gasped.  "What?  Why!?"

Yamamoto and Gokudera started bickering about having to beat up their own boss and they adamently shouted that they wouldn't do it.

After several minutes of shouting, Tsuna finally ordered, "Just hit me already!"

Seiko's hands were clenched.  They didn't have time for these stupid games...

 Yamamoto and Gokudera both refused to do it.  Seiko started forward.  She would do it herself.  But Leona grabbed her arm.  "Seiko.  I know you want to hurry and find him...but remember that Tsuna is your friend too.  Don't lose sight of who you are cause you're mad."

Yamamoto glanced back at Leona with a knowing smile.

Seiko took a deep breath.  "Fine."

No one would do it.  So finally the guy ordered the stalkers on the screen to attack the two girls.  When they did, both of them were cut off by attacks from Dr. Shamal and older Lambo and I-pin.

Everyone breathed with relief.

The guy started to quiver with fear, now that he didn't have any advantage as the twins were eliminated by the girls' protectors.

Reborn smirked.  "Now.  Let's go."

Seiko walked up to the perverted old man, cracking her knuckles.  "I hate when people waste my time..."

The guy trembled as Seiko punched him so hard that he was unconcious with one hit.

She smirked.  "Now we can move on."

The building they were looking for was within their sights when another guy showed up.  He was wearing a police hat and carried a huge steel ball with him.  Seiko's eyes narrowed.  "What the..."

Tsuna gasped.  "Who is that?"

Seiko's eyes narrowed.  "I am so tired of all of these henchmen getting in the way!"

Yamamoto walked up.  "In that case, I'll take this guy on."

The guy tossed his police hat off and started swing the ball and chain around over his head.  "Oh you think you will, will you?"

Leona held her breath.  "Be careful, Yamamoto."

 

Chikusa looked at Sophia where she sat curled up against the back of the couch.  He glared at her and asked, "What's with you?"

Sophia took a deep breath.  "None of your business..."  She covered her mouth when she felt like she was going to get sick.  "Chikusa...did you kill him?"

Chikusa paused, looking at her curiously.  "I never disobey Mukuro-sama."

Sophia's eyes widened.  What would Seiko think now?  She paused.  But when Seiko had defended her when Mukuro possessed her, she was already under the impression Hibari was dead.  Did that mean...that Seiko didn't really blame her?  Or had she forgotten?  She gripped her knees tightly to her chest. and cried against her kneecaps.

She didn't know what to do.

If her friends showed up here, Mukuro would kill them.

But if she stood against Mukuro to protect them...

She shuddered.  Either way, they were all going to die the way things were going.  If only she could convince them to turn back.  But now Tsuna was adament to stop Mukuro so no one else got hurt at the school.  And she knew Seiko wouldn't stop until she found Hibari.

Sophia stared at the ground.  "What did that leave for her?  Mukuro?  Or her friends?"

She had never left Mukuro's side before.  In fact, this was the first time she blantantly disagreed with everything he was doing.

Suddenly, she wondered if he even cared.  Closing her eyes, she remembered all the times that they sat together, watching the stars at the orphanage.  When he protected her against the monsters that tried to experiment on her.

When he promised that he'd always protect her.

Sophia pushed herself back to her feet.  She was done sitting around and crying.  It was time she did what she needed to do.


	42. Fierce Tornado

The guy laughed as he looked at Yamamoto.  "You underestimate me..."  He scolded.  He threw the ball. 

Yamamoto grinned.  "Oh, it's slow."  He stated, easily ducking to the side of it.  But suddenly it seemed like it flipped direction and spun, slamming into Yamamoto and sending him flying.

Leona screamed and ran over to him.  He shakily sat up.  "I'm okay..."

Leona stood in front of him.  "No way.  Stay back.  Let me handle this."

Yamamoto frowned.  "Hey, remember, I wanted to protect you..."

Leona smiled back at him.  "I know...but this isn't a game, hun.  We're in danger and I want to end this with as little harm as possible.  And I know Seiko's in a hurry."

Yamamoto nodded.  "Okay.  But here as backup, you're not alone."

Leona smiled as well.  "Got it."

When the guy threw the ball again, Leona raised her hands, making water surge up from the ground and hit it.  Suddenly the water sprayed everywhere and it kept coming for her.  Her eyes widened.  "What the fuck!?"

Yamamoto dove in front of her last minute and took the hit.  She screamed as he flew back, hitting the concrete wall behind them this time.  She raced to him.  "Yamamoto!"

He went to give teh final blow, but he was blindsided by a wall of water that threw him across the area.  Leona tried to lift him up just a bit.  "Yamamoto...!  Speak to me!"

Seiko glared at the guy as he got up.  He had his teeth gritted hard together.  "You'll pay for that..."

Leona was busy trying to help Yamamoto regain conciousness when the guy punched the giant steel ball and it flew right at Leona.  Her eyes widened, she had seen it too late.

It looked like it was going to hit her straight on, but out of nowhere, Tsuna caught it.  As he held it tight, his clothes ripped off, shouting that he was going to protect his friends with dying will.

The guy yanked back the giant steel ball.  He then swung it, tossed it up and punched it again.  It flew right at Tsuna, but Tsuna ducked under it and ran at him, punching him right in the chin.

Seiko trotted over to Leona.  "Is he okay?"

Leona looked up at her with somber eyes.  "He's not concious..."

Seiko gritted her teeth.  She watched as the guy flew into the air and yanked the chain back, throwing the ball right back down at Tsuna.  To everyone's surprise, he caught the ball and threw it right back at him, nailing him twice as hard and sending him through the concrete wall.  Seiko gaped, "Wow..."

Reborn chuckled.  "He's come far."

Seiko looked at him.  "I'll say..."

Reborn frowned.  "But that's his last dying will bullet."

"So...we've got nothing against Mukuro, huh?"  Seiko whispered, watching as the guy threw the ball up and charged Tsuna.  To their surprise he punched Tsuna so hard that he flew back.  He then grabbed Tsuna's hair and kneed him in the chest.  He threw Tsuna back on the ground and the steel ball came down landing right on him.

Gokudera gasped, "Tenth!!"

Seiko's eyes widened.  "My god...Tsuna..."

The guy chuckled and turned back to the others.  "Now...who's next?"

Reborn frowned.  "We're in trouble..."

Seiko's eyes narrowed.  She marched towards him while he picked up the ball.  Leona gasped, "Seiko!  What the hell are you doing!?"

Seiko pulled off her jacket, leaving just her tank top on and tossed it aside.  "I'm tired of standing back."

Leona's eyes were wide.  "You can't fight this guy!  He's too strong!"

"None of you have ever seen my strength."  Seiko closed her eyes, remembering Cressa.  "Every fight I've ever been in, I had a handicap.  I was always protecting her.  Now...now I can fight for real."

The guy chuckled and tossed the ball in the air.  "I don't usually like hitting little girls."

Seiko smirked.  "At least you know I'm a girl."

Tsuna struggled to sit up, the dying will gone.  He gasped,  "Seiko-chan!  Stop!"  He shouted at her.

The ball flew right at Seiko.  Seiko stood her ground, waiting for it to come closer.  She lowered herself and ran quickly under the ball as it flew past her.  She felt the wind gusts cut along her back but she charged him head on.  She threw a punch as hard as she could into his stomach where the huge steel ball had already injured him.

She picked that up from Hibari.

When in a fight, always aim for an injury.

The thought made her left side hurt suddenly.  She slowed to a stop and looked down as he gasped, coughing up blood.  Seiko looked down at him.  "I appreciated fighting you."  She confessed.  "You don't cheat like the others."

"That was a...powerful punch..."  He commented.

Seiko smiled.  "Thanks.  I'm going to hit Mukuro with an even stronger one.

 

Tsuna looked at Yamamoto and Leona.  "He looks pretty bad..."

Leona felt her body trembling with worry.  "I need to get him to the hospital."

"It's not safe to leave right now..."  Tsuna confessed.

Leona glared up at them.  "Then hurry up and go defeat Mukuro!  Stop him so we can all go home!"

Tsuna nodded, an adament look in his eyes.

Seiko turned and they started to leave, but Leona shouted at her.  Seiko looked at her curiously but Leona finished, "I don't know what's going on...but don't die.  If Sophia has betrayed us...then you have to fight her.  You have to win."

Seiko grinned.  "I have no intention of losing."  She looked up at the health center.  "I owe him...a lot..."

Leona's gaze softened.  "Whatever you find in there, Seiko...I'm sorry."

Seiko nodded, following Tsuna, Reborn, and Gokudera.

 

Mukuro chuckled, looking out the window.  "Here they come, Chikusa..."

As Chikusa walked by Sophia, she had her arms crossed, looking at Mukuro.  She asked, "What do you need me to do?"

Mukuro smiled, turning towards her.  "I know you don't want to kill your friend..."

Sophia took a deep breath.  "I'll do whatever you ask me to do."

"Just beat her enough that she can't fight anymore.  I want that power."  Mukuro informed.

Sophia unconciously touched the gem on her hip.  "Right.  Whatever you need."


	43. Earth-shaking

They walked into the lowest part of the building.  Where the first staircase should have been, there was nothing.  Seiko glared.  "Cocky bunch, aren't they?"

Reborn chuckled.  "But if we prove stronger, they can't get away."

"I guess that's a bonus."  Gokudera commented, pausing and looked down.  "Hey, what's this?"

Seiko stared at the black phone that he picked up.  "That's...Hibari-kun's..."

Gokudera frowned and handed it to her.  "We'll find him, no worries.  They can't kill that jerk so easily."

Seiko nodded absently as they continued their search for a staircase.

Tsuna opened the door to a room and gasped, "Look!  There's an emergency ladder against the wall."

Gokudera started for it but the guy with the glasses jumped out in front of him suddenly.  A yo-yo shot out and Gokudera jumped back, barely avoiding the needles that flew out.

Tsuna gasped.  "Not another assassin!"

Seiko stared at him wide eyed.

The guy adjusted his glasses.  "Huh.  So you survived..."  He snickered.  "I thought you would've bled out and died along side your useless friend."

Seiko pursed her lips and shook her head.  Gokudera grabbed her shirt and pushed her towards the ladder.  "You guys go on up.  I got this loser."

Seiko's eyes widened.  "Are you sure about that?"

Gokudera nodded.  "Just go!"

 

Leona held Yamamoto close, fear and worry in her skin.  She wasn't having a premonition, but she knew that nothing good was going to come of the ensuing battle.  She pressed her forehead to Yamamoto's.  "Please...please be careful..."

Leona gasped when she heard a rustle and Sophia walked up.  Her eyes bugged out.  "What the hell are you doing here?"

Sophia shoook her head.  "Calm down.  Mukuro thinks I'm attacking Seiko right now."

Leona pulled Yamamoto closer.  "So...are you good or bad?"

"I'm not going to attack you if that's what you're trying to ask me."  Sophia pulled out some medicine.  "Here, until you can get him to the hospital."

Leona hesitantly took it.  "Do you think Seiko will be okay?"

"Only time will tell..."  Sophia confessed, looking back at the building.

 

On the top floor, Seiko and Tsuna walked into a huge room.  It looked like it sued to be a stage for the Arts Center.  On the stage was a couch.  On the couch was Mukuro.

Instantly, Seiko felt her heart slamming in her chest as she was blindsided of memories of watching him hit Hibari over and over.  She marched up, her hands clenched.

Tsuna gasped, "Seiko-chan, wait."

She gritted her teeth hard.  "Where is he!?"

Mukuro chuckled.  "Ooh.  Fiesty.  You're ready to die, aren't you?"

 

Gokudera gasped, running away from the Yo-yos while throwing bombs back at Chikusa.  A few hit, but most missed.  Gokudera slid down the hall, bombs in hand, ready to throw more when suddenly his chest hurt.  He gasped in pain, his wound from his first fight with Chikusa hitting him full-force.

Chikusa chuckled as he watched him.  "You look...a little uneasy on your feet there..."

Gokudera growled at him.  "Shut up...You don't know anything."

"Don't I?"  He asked, stepping closer.

Gokudera raised his hand to throw another stick of dynamite.  As soon as he did, the wall of glass behind him shattered and a hand came up and dove right into his chest, into the wound Chikusa had previously given him.  Gokudera let out a scream and stumbled forward.

 

Seiko narrowed her eyes.  "I'm not in the mood for games."

Reborn looked at Tsuna curiously.  "Are you going to let her fight alone?"

Tsuna gulped.  "What am I supposed to do?  I don't have a dying will bullet left."

"Then I guess this remains on Seiko's shoulders.  Good things she's not injured or anything."  Reborn stated, a mocking chuckle in his voice.

Tsuna stared, fear building.

Seiko glared when Mukuro still didn't get up from where he sat.  "You sure are cocky.  Do you know my weakness, too?  Are you going to beat me up when I can't fight back?"

"Not at all."  Mukuro sang, flicking his hand.

A door opened up and Sophia stepped out.  She had her arm around Leona's shoulders and dagger to her neck.  "Seiko...I told you not to come here."

Seiko stared with wide eyes.  "Sophia!"  She screamed.  "Let her go!"  She whirled back to Mukuro.  "Leave her alone!  Stop manipulating her!"

Mukuro chuckled, his shoulders shaking with his laughter.  "But...I'm not controlling her right now.  She's doing this herself."

"...What?"  Seiko gasped.

Leona tried pulling on Sophia's arm.  "He's not lying, Seiko!  She told me that Mukuro had ordered her to go there.  She all of a sudden grabbed me and said that she was going to use me so that she could kill you!  She's on this guy's side, not ours!"

But when Seiko looked at Sophia, she looked sad.

She couldn't believe that her friend was a traitor.

Sophia's hand tightened on the dagger.  "Give up, Seiko.  I don't want to have to kill Leona too."

Leona struggled more, but she was too weak.  "Seiko!  Just leave!  Let Tsuna and I handle this!"

Seiko shook her head, her body shaking.  "I can't do that..."

Mukuro looked at Sophia expectantly.  "Go on, show her that you're serious."  Mukuro ordered.

Sophia pressed the blade to Leona's neck just enough that it made a small cut.  Sophia then walked towards Seiko.  When Leona tried jumping up to grab her, she let out a scream as he possessed by Mukuro liked Sophia had been before.

So she just sat there, watching.

Seiko took a step back.  "I won't fight you, Sophia."

Sophia glared at her.  "Why not?  I betrayed you.  You're nothing but trash to me now."  She pointed the dagger at her.

"Don't be rediculous."  Seiko snapped.  "Stab me then."  She opened her arms out and waited for it.

Tsuna gasped.  "Seiko-chan!  What are you doing!?"

Reborn frowned.  "This is not good."

Sophia glared and moved in.

Seiko whispered, "Leona told me that you were suffering.  She said that you were in so much pain and you were hiding it.  You don't have to hide it any more, Sophia.  I want to help you...whatever it is that you won't share with the rest of us..."

Sophia began to tremble.  "I..."

"Stop pretending to be something you're not."  Seiko ordered.

Mukuro stood up.  "Sophia!"

She let go of the dagger and dropped to the ground.  "I want a home and family..."  She looked up at Seiko.  "I want what you have...people who care about me and look forward to seeing me every day."

Mukuro's eye widened and he picked up his staff.  "Traitor!"  He lunged right at Sophia.

The moment he got close to her, Seiko pulled Sophia back and spun, kicking Mukuro in the side and sending him flying across the room.  "Don't touch her."  Seiko snarled, her eye narrowed in hate.


	44. Bitter Cold

Gokudera gasped, holding his bleeding chest.  "Way to fight fair...guys..."

Chikusa and Ken chuckled.  "You look done."  Ken licked his lips.  "Can I eat him, Chikusa?"

Chikusa smirked.  "I think he's too well-done for that."  They watched as Gokudera stumbled back and fell against a curtain.  But it gave and he tumbled down the stairs to a storage wall. 

He gritted his teeth while Ken sang, "How pathetic."

Gokudera gripped his last stick of dynamite.  "How could I ever think that I could be the boss's right hand man when I can't even...stand up to these guys..."

One of the small birds that the guy they'd defeated owned flew up to a small opening in the wall and began to sing.  It sang the Namimori anthem.  Gokudera winced.  "Why would that bird know our anthem...?"  He paused, wondering if someone had played it.

He started laughing when he realized only one person would ever listen to their anthem.  He lit his last stick of dynamite and let it roll to the wall, exploding suddenly.

Ken laughed as he skipped down the steps.  "Terrible aim, dude..."

The wall collapsed and Gokudera looked into the rubble.  "Was that your ringtone, or what?"

Hibari looked up from where he was crouched down.  His rage filled eyes locked on to Ken and Chikusa.  He coldly asked, Gokudera, "What are you doing here?"

"Someone asked us...for a favor."  Gokudera winced.  "Seiko was worried.  She asked us to come save you.  But...I'm not.  I'm just here...cause the boss asked me to be."

Hibari slowly got up on wobbily feet.  "Who are these herbivores?"

"They're..."  Gokudera coughed and smirked.  "The ones that beat up Seiko and killed Cressa."

Hibari's eyes widened suddenly.

 

Seiko charged at Mukuro when he turned around.  He swung his staff, but Seiko ducked down underneath it.  She swung her leg, trying to knock his feet out, but he caught himself on his hands.  When Seiko tried to back up, he grabbed her ankle, pulling her back and throwing her across the room.

Tsuna gasped, "Seiko-chan!"

Sophia stared with wide eyes.  "Stop!  Mukuro-sama!  That's not fair!  She's unarmed!"

When Seiko got back up, Mukuro tried to kick her, but she evaded to her left and spun around, trying to land a punch but he caught her wrist.  Seiko gritted her teeth, struggling against his hold.  Mukuro casually stated, "She attacked me, first."

Sophia started ot get up and interfere when she saw Leona doing the same.  "Leona!"  She smiled until she saw the dead look in her eyes.  She was still possessed.  She gasped and grabbed her, holding her back.

Tsuna was still shaking.  "What do I do, Reborn?"

Reborn tipped his hat down.  "Since you're weak.  Just do nothing.  You'd only get in the way anyway."

Seiko tried to punch Mukuro with her other fist, but he evaded around it and kneed her in the gut.  Seiko gasped and dropped to the ground.

Tsuna's eyes widened.  "Seiko-chan!"

 

He barely slowly stepped towards them, swaying on his injured, wobbily legs.  "So it was you two..."  He paused, glancing at Gokudera and then at his enemies at the top of the stairs.  "Then which of you...was the one...that cut up her face...?"

Ken barked.  "You mean the little weak red-headed one?  That was me!  What of it!?"

Hibari kicked up his tonfas and caught them.  "I'm going to bite you to death first."

Ken put in a new set of teeth so he had the characteristics of a lion.  "Tough talk for someone who looks already dead on their feet!"  He lunged at Hibari.

With as little movement as possible, he slammed his tonfa at Ken.  Ken jumped aside, only to have Hibari spin and nail him right in the face, sending him flying up the stairs and out the window.

Hibari started after him but Gokudera shouted, "Hey...!  I know you want to beat the crap out of them...I do too...but the boss and Seiko are upstairs with Mukuro..."

Hibari glared back at him, the rage filling his eyes.  "Why?"

 

Seiko caught the staff when it came at her this time.  She gritted her teeth and tried to pull it away from him, but he was too strong.  He yanked backwards suddenly, pulling Seiko just offbalance enough that when he swung around, he tossed her again.  "You're so weak that it's pathetic."

Seiko glared up at him, pulling herself off the floor.  "At least i'm confident enough in my abilities that I don't need to use dirty tricks to win."

Mukuro's eyes narrowed.  "You talk big for someone on the verge of dying."

Seiko got back to her feet, her eyes narrowed and the gem on her chest blazing.  "I'll never let a guy like you win...!"

Sophia stared with wide eyes.  "Her...stone..."

Seiko charged right at Mukuro.  He held his hand out and suddenly several snakes fell from the ceiling.  They wrapped around her arms and legs and held her down.  Seiko's eyes widened.  "What the fuck is this!?"

Tsuna shouted,  "Seiko-chan!"

Seiko watched him as he raised his staff.  Mukuro chuckled.  "You were amusing, but it's over now.  Once I beat you within an inch of your life, I'll take your powers."

Seiko's eyes widened and she looked to Sophia.  "How much...does he know?"

Sophia looked down, gasping when Leona nearly got free.  Sophia confessed, "He knows everything I do..."  She looked back at Mukuro.  "Please stop!  Just leave her alone."

Mukuro smirked and went to slam the staff down on her head when an object flew through the air, knockign the staff from his hand.  He glared at the doorway.

Seiko's eyes widened and she nearly cried when she saw Hibari and Gokudera stumble in, supporting each other.

Mukuro glared.  "I wasn't expecting the two of you...I guess Chikusa has failed me."

Hibari's hate filled gaze narrowed on Mukuro and then at Tsuna.  "What is going on?"

Tsuna trembled.  "M-Mukuro is -"

"No.  Why is Seiko fighting?"  He marched slowly forward, barely able to stay on his feet.

Seiko felt her body tremble with longing to stop him, but she couldn't get free.  She shouted, "Hibari-kun!  Stop!  You're too injured!"

Hibari growled deeply.  "Shut up, Seiko."

He picked up the tonfa that he'd thrown and held it up, ready to attack.  "Are you ready to die?"  He asked Mukuro.

Mukuro snickered.  "I'm impressed."

Sophia felt her skin crawl with fear.  "How can he even be standing?"

Mukuro snickered.  "You sure seem aggressive, for someone in your position."  He picked Seiko up by the back of her shirt and smirked.  "Come on and attack me."

Seiko struggled, snapping, "Too bad you holding me hostage isn't enough to make him stop.  He'll destroy you!"

"Oh, won't he?"  Mukuro chuckled when he saw Hibari lower his tonfas.

Hibari snapped, "Can't you do anything fairly?  Do you always have to hide behind someone else's weakness?"

"The only thing that matters is the end product.  So why don't you just take a five.  Let your dear little Seiko and I finish our fight first."

Sophia's hands were clenching and unclenching.  She wanted to stop Mukuro, but she wasn't sure what to do.

Seiko pushed against Mukuro and shouted, "Don't worry about me, Hibari!  I'll be fine!  Just destroy this guy!"

Hibari glared at her and Seiko felt like he was looking into the eye that he couldn't see, the one beneath the bandages.

Mukuro smirked.  "How sad.  Not so tough now are you, Hibari?"

Tsuna shouted, "Fight fair, Mukuro!"

Mukuro chuckled but gasped when he was suddenly kicked in the back and Seiko dropped to the ground.  Mukuro turned and glared at Sophia.  "Why would you - !?"

Hibari ran at Mukuro.  "Now you'll pay..."

Seiko looked up at Sophia.  "Thank you..."

"He's not going to use my friends as a shield..."


	45. Clearing Skies

Mukuro turned, grabbed his staff, and charged right back.  Both he and Hibari clashed multiple times in midstrike between them.

As Seiko watched in awe, she felt someone grab her hair and pull her back.  Sophia gasped and took a hold of Leona again.  She muttered, "We have to do something...Mukuro twisted her reality so she thinks she needs to kill you."

Seiko frowned and looked back at Mukuro and Hibari.  She whispered, "I hate this.  He's so injured...but I think he's the only one strong enough to save us right now."

Sophia felt her body tremble.  "I don't want Mukuro to get hurt..."

Seiko shrugged her shoulders.  "We'll do what we can...but...if you can't convince him...then I can't promise his life over the lives of others..."

When Mukuro and Hibari seperated, Tsuna cheered, "Way to go Hibari!"

Mukuro chuckled.  "You fight well for someone so injured...but I'm faster."

Seiko's eyes widened when she saw blood seeping down his shoulder and the front of his shirt where he'd been struck somewhere in the mix.  Seiko trembled and shouted, "Hibari...!"

Mukuro started laughing harder.  "This is over."  His eye shifted again and suddenly the whole room was filled with cherry blossoms.

Seiko gasped.  There was no way she was going to watch this again.  She started to get up.  Hibari's legs shook and he started to fall forward.  But just as he started to go down, he caught himself and lunged forward, slamming his tonfa into Mukuro's gut.

"What?"  Seiko shouted.  Gokudera was chuckling.

"Dr. Shamal had a feeling he might need something to help him out.  So he gave me a cure for his sakura-weakness."

Seiko smiled awkwardly with relief flooding through her.

Mukuro stumbled back a couple steps and then Hibari nailed him spot-on with his tonfas, sending him flying.

Seiko heard Sophia gasp behind her, but Seiko nearly collapsed when Mukuro hit the ground and stopped moving.  "It's done..."

Reborn happily announced to Tsuna, "Mission accomplished!"  He then chuckled.  "Although you weren't any help at all today."

Tsuna shook his head.  "I don't care!"  He jumped up.  "It's over!  We can go home!"

Seiko got up just as she saw Hibari start to stumble.  She gasped and raced over to him just as he collapsed.  She caught him in her arms and lowered herself until he was relaxed her in lap.  Her eyes widened.  "He's...unconcious..."

Reborn walked up.  "Looks like he was barely concious fighting.  It was all on instinct."  He looked at Seiko with a big grin.  "To protect you, I'm guessing."

Seiko felt her body quiver.  "Oh...Hibari-kun..."  She pulled him closer and hugged his sleeping form.  She smiled warmly.  "Let's get to a hospital so everyone can get a well-deserved rest."

"No one is going to need to go to the hospital."

Everyone looked over.  To their horror, Mukuro was getting up.  He had a gun in his hand and a glare in his eyes.  "I'm going to kill all of you..."  He pointed the gun to himself and shot.

Sophia gasped.  "No!"  She shouted at Seiko and Tsuna.  "Watch out!  Anyone who got cut with that weapon!  he can possess any of them!"

Seiko stared as Leona was the first to get possessed and went to attack Tsuna.  But as soon as he avoided the hit, Leona swiped the dagger she had picked up across Gokudera.

For several minutes, they were all switching between possessions, trying to attack Tsuna.  Part of Seiko wanted to help him, but she couldn't bring herself to let Hibari go.  Now that she had him back, she was afraid that if she let go of him, he'd disappear again.

After a while, Chikusa and Ken came in, possessed as well.

Sophia's eyes widened.  "He got them too..."

Seiko looked at her.  "What about you?"

Sophia looked down.  "I don't think...he wants anythign to do with me anymore..."

Mukuro started using all of his powers and was knocking Tsuna around like crazy.  Even Seiko couldn't keep up with what was happening any more.  She looked at Sophia.  "What's his weakness?  How do we stop him?"

"I don't know...that's why I kept warning you guys that you'd die if you came here..."  She confessed.

Seiko gritted her teeth.  "this is bad..."

Just when she thought the battle was going to end, Tsuna jumped up and shouted that he wanted to stop Mukuro.

Leon glowed around Reborn's neck and suddenly raised into the air and erupted in a bright light.  He dropped a pair of gloves onto Tsuna's face.

Everyone possessed by Mukuro suddenly attacked Tsuna all at once.  Tsuna caught a bullet that fell out of the gloves.  Reborn took it from him and shot him with it just as several attacks all hit Tsuna at the same time.

After a while, Tsuna got up, his head glowing like when he was in dying will state, but this time, he was calm and controlled.

Reborn explained that this was what the new bullet was and drew out his calm fighting spirit.  The "blood of the Vongola"  he said.

Tsuna beat up Chikusa and Ken for the last time, but was able to knock out Gokudera and Leona without hurting them.  He caught them both and gently set them down.

Tsuna growled lowly.  "Come on out Mukuro...I know you're faking it."  He snapped.

Mukuro got back up with a chuckle.  "You're sharp..."

Seiko looked at Sophia who was trembling.  She calmly whispered to her.  "Sophia...you don't want any one to die, do you?"

Sophia stared at her with wide eyes.  "No...I really don't, but I just..."

Seiko reached over, her other arm still around Hibari and touched her friend's hand.  "Then you have to convince Mukuro to stop...if he keeps fighting like this...Tsuna may be left with no choice.  Otherwise, Tsuna may be the one to die..."

Sophia trembled.  Seiko urged.  "We're all your friends here, we all want to help you.  If all else fails, we'll remain by your side."

"But I..."  Sophia whispered, starting to get to her feet.  She stumbled forward, tears down her face and she shouted, "I don't want to lose him...!  Mukuro!  I love you!"

Mukuro stopped his charge on Tsuna suddenly.  He turned his wide eyes on Sophia.  "What did you just say?"

Sophia kept stumbling forward, her body shaking with the confession, "I really...love you...I always have.  I've never done anything because I agree with you or because I'm afraid of what you'll do if I don't...Everything I do...I do because I want to be the one always by your side.  Whether you win or lose, I want to be the one beside you when it happens."  Sophia placed her body between Mukuro's and Tsuna's.  "Mukuro...I'm asking you...because I love you.  Please...stop this."

Mukuro stared at her and Seiko watched with wide eyes.

Sophia took a slow step towards him.  "This isn't good for you...or anyone.  You're destroying yourself, don't you see?  All of us want to help you with all of our heart.  But you ignore us...you toss us aside because you think we're not really loyal to you."  She was close enough now that she could touch him.  "Mukuro...please believe me.  I'm never going to leave you.  But I want you to stop.  These are my new friends.  They shouldn't be products of your revenge...Please."

 Mukuro stared at her for the longest time.  Everyone stood on their toes, waiting to see what his response to her confession was.  He stepped towards her, the staff falling right out of his hand.  He touched her hair.  "You thought...I doubted your loyalty?"

Sophia's eyes widened.

"You're the only one I trusted with all my heart..."  Mukuro whispered.  "I thought that you felt repulsed by me...and stayed out of fear."

Sophia shook her head.  "No...Mukuro...since we were kids...I couldn't ever bring myself...I was obsessed with you."

Mukuro pulled her close and kissed the side of her face.  "I've always dreamed of hearing you say those words...Sophia..."

Tsuna's dying will disappeared and a soft smile came to his lips.  "Mukuro...about your revenge..."

Mukuro glared at Tsuna over Sophia's shoulder.  "I wanted revenge...for them taking my life away.  But this whole time...my life has been right here in front of me.  I no longer have any desire to fight you, Sawada."

Tsuna sighed heavily.  "Thank goodness..."

Reborn looked over as a group of people headed for the door.  "The medical team?"

As soon as they came in, they wrapped straps around Ken, Chikusa, and Mukuro.  Sophia gasped.  "Stop!  What are you doing!?"  She shrieked.  She tried to go after them, but Reborn stopped her.

"No." He scolded softly.  "You don't want to cross paths with them...It'll be the end of you."

Sophia trembled as, within moments, they were gone.  "No...Mukuro..."

Reborn patted her back.  "Do not worry.  He's not gone.  He's still with you."

"I know...but..."  Sophia pressed her hands to her face.

A little later, the real medical team arrived and started putting the wounded on stretchers.  She reluctantly let them have Hibari and she stared with wide eyes as they loaded him with the others into the ambulance and drove off.

Reborn looked up at her.  They had also loaded Tsuna.  Reborn questioned, "Are you okay?"

Seiko shook her head.  "I was useless again."

Reborn shook his head.  "I disagree.  You brought together a team that won today."

Seiko looked down.

Reborn smiled knowingly.  "You were born to be a central pillar, do you know that?  Tsuna needs support like you for his family."

Seiko looked up, her expression softening.  "Reborn...I don't know if I'll join the family or not...But...I know one thing."

"What's that?"

"I'm going to be whever Hibari is."  Seiko explained.  "This whole thing has made me realize how much I need him...how much I rely on him.  Sorry...but he comes first."

Reborn snickered as though he already knew.  "Again...we need you in our family for that reason."

"What do you mean?"  Seiko asked.

"You'll find out...one day."


	46. The Rainbow's End

Seiko gently touched Sophia's shoulder.  "Are you going to be okay...?"

Sophia looked down, her eyes filled with regret.  "I don't know...I'll try to get better, but I can't make any promises."

Leona frowned at her friend.  "Do...they have any idea when it'll be known what his punishment is?"

Sophia shook her head.  "It could be months or years..."  She pressed her face to her hands.  "So he won't even know if he's going to live or die for so long...and then what if it takes them that long just to decide on capitol punishment?  That's not fair!"

Leona looked at her softly.  "I know...but he did do a lot of pretty bad things..."

Sophia pressed her face to her arms.

The three of them were sitting in the hospital lobby.  Leona had woken up shortly upon arrival and was already released after being checked up.  However, most of the others in intensive care weren't released yet.  Yamamoto and Hibari in particular hadn't even woken up yet.

Sophia got up from her seat a few minutes later.  "I'm sorry guys, but I'm going to go home and sleep."

Leona sighed and hugged her when she passed by where she had sat.  "Don't think about it too much, okay?"

Sophia shook her head sadly and walked on.

After she disappeared out the door, Seiko asked Leona, "Do you think she'll be okay on her own?"

Leona shook her head sadly.  "After Yamamoto wakes up and we get him home, I'll go check up on her."

Seiko smiled weakly.  "So Yamamoto hasn't woken up either?"

Leona shook her head and rested her chin on the palms of her hands.  "He took a pretty hard hit.  The doctors said he'll probably be unconcious for a while, but when he wakes up, he'll be as good as new."

"That's good to hear."  Seiko stated with a smile.

Leona turned her head to Seiko.  "What about Hibari-san?"

"He's pretty beat up." Seiko confessed.  "The doctor says he has multiple breaks and fractures, so he's going to bed-rested for a while.  It's gonna drive him nuts."  She giggled.

Leona sighed.  "But at least everything turned out okay.  Everyone's going to make a full recovery - " She paused in midsentence and her gaze turned back to the left side of Seiko's face where the bandages still wrapped around.  "Wait.  What about you?  Your eye?"

Seiko touched the bandage.  "That's still up for debate."  Seiko confessed.  "The wound is already healing and the doctor has informed me that I need to keep the bandage on a while longer.  But he's not sure if I'll ever regain sight."

Leona frowned.  "I'm sorry, Seiko.  If my premonitions were clearer then - "

"If I was stronger, Cressa wouldn't have died."  Seiko informed.  She patted Leona's shoulder.  "This is nothing.  I'll get over it.  I always do."

"Seiko..."  Leona whispered, watching her friend get up.  "You going back?"

Seiko nodded.  "I know he'll try getting up as soon as he's awake."

Leona stood as well.  "I should be getting back to Yamamoto, too."  Leona gave Seiko a brief hug and smiled, "Lemme know if you need anything, okay?"

Seiko smiled, "Will-do."

Seiko quietly walked into the hospital room.  She couldn't help the thin smile on her face when she saw Hibari still asleep.  She set her stuff down and pulled the chair up close to his bed-side.  She crossed her legs and relaxed.

 

Leona smiled brightly when she walked in.  Yamamoto was already sitting up and yawning.  She giggled, "You're up ahead of schedule."

Yamamoto took one look at her a smile broke across his face.  "Hey, there you are."

Leona walked up to his bed.  "Sorry, I was talking with Seiko."

"How is everyone?"  He asked.

"Recovering.   No one is seriously injured, so within a couple weeks, everyone will be back on their feet."  Leona explained.

"That's a relief."  Yamamoto lay back with a big yawn.

Leona laughed when he mumbled about being tired.  She commented, "You just woke up."

"Yeah but that was a stressful sleep."

"It was?"  She teased.

He grinned.  "Yeah, you weren't in here with me."

Leona's eyes widened and blush spread on her face.  "Oh..."

He patted the bed beside him.  "Come rest with me."

Leona smiled, setting her stuff down and gently climbed onto the bed with him.

 

Seiko looked up when she noticed Hibari stir.  She smiled and leaned on her elbows.  "Good morning, sleepyhead."

He barely opened his eyes, only to glare at her.  He looked up.  "Where am I?"

"The hospital."  Seiko explained.  "You fought so hard you fell unconcious..."

He started to sit up and Seiko put her hands on his shoulders.  "Stop.  You're injured really badly.  You can't get up yet."

"I'm fine."  He pressed against her hold.  "That means this is Tuesday, who's supervising the school?"

"It doesn't matter, you need time to recover - " Seiko argued.

"I said, I'm fine, Let me up."  Hibari retorted.

Seiko glared and snapped.  "No.  Lay down, right now.  I'm not arguing with you!"

He paused and looked at her.  "You're in a rare mood today."

Seiko kept glaring.  "I've spent the last two days worrying about you and I'm not going to have you reinjure yourself because you refused to lay down and recover."  She gently made him lay back down.  She added more softly, "The fight with Mukuro is over, so you don't have to worry about the school for a little while, okay?"

He kept staring at her, but didn't say anything more.

Seiko sighed when she realized he'd given in.  She gently stroked his face and said softly, "I'm glad you're okay, Hibari-kun."

He finally looked away.  "Whatever."

Seiko asked, "Are you in any pain?"

He glared at her again.  "Why don't you just worry about yourself?"

Seiko sighed and withdrew back to her seat.  "Fine.  I'll let you rest."

After a while, Seiko thought that she'd be better off leaving him alone when he asked, "How long?"

"Till you can leave?"  Seiko questioned.

"No."

Seiko blinked.  "How long, what?"

"Until those stupid bandages come off your face."  He growled.

Seiko sighed and looked down.  "A few weeks."  She laughed and rubbed her head.  "They do look pretty lame, huh?"

Hibari sighed.  "You shouldn't have them at all."

Seiko looked at him curiously as he finished, "I said I was going to do the fighting for you."

Seiko's gaze softened and she leaned to him, giving him a gentle peck on the cheek.  "It's not that bad.  There wasn't anything you could've done about it."

He watched her.  "Not that bad, huh?"

Seiko shook her head.  "Nope."  She smiled, sitting back on the chair.  "Just focus on recovering, okay?"

When he glared, she could sense that he wanted to ask something, but never gave any hint to ever saying anything.  After a while, he looked away, falling back asleep.

Seiko couldn't help smiling.  She leaned back against the wall. 

She was so glad to have him back.

But the next day, Sophia vanished.

 

A week later, Seiko walked into the school.  Just down the hall from the lobby, Seiko saw Kusukabe standing there.  She smiled and waved.

Kusukabe dipped his head.  "Good afternoon, Seiko-chan.  What are you doing?"

"Looking for Hibari-kun."  She confessed, slowing to a stop in front of him.  "He left my house late yesterday afternoon and I haven't seen him since."

"He's on the rooftop, resting."  Kusukabe informed.  "That's where he always is when he's not with you."

Seiko's expression softened.  "Doesn't he ever go home?"

"Occassionally, to get a new book.  Otherwise, the school is his home.  Er, more frequently, your place."

Seiko paused, her lips pursed.  She had a question, but she had half a mind not to ask.

"What's up?"  Kusu asked, reading her expression.

"It seems like Hibari has been bothered by something ever since he left the hospital.  Has he mentioned anything to you?"

Kusu shook his head.  "No, but I've noticed too.  I thought maybe you would know something about it."  He turned and started walking towards the stairwell.  "So were you looking for him for any particular reason?"

"I was gonna tell him I'm gonna be at the baseball tournament this afternoon with Tsuna and the gang.  I don't want him to wonder where I was."  Seiko explained, trotting with him, her tiny feet struggling to keep up with his.

"Couldn't you just text him?"  Kusu asked.

"Mukuro broke his phone..."  She confessed.  "I keep suggesting he get a new one, but he says he doesn't have a need for it anyway."

Kusu pursed his lips, making his way up the stairs.  Opening the door to the roof, he said, "Chairman!"

Seiko heard Hibari groan past Kusu.  "Whatever it is, I don't want to be bothered by it."

Kusu looked at Seiko with knowing eyes.  "Watch this."  He looked back at Hibari who was laying on his back near the edge of the roof.  "But president, there's a baseball tournament this afternoon.  Shouldn't you attend?"

"What did I just say?"

"Seiko-chan made plans to attend."  Kusu informed.

Seiko started to order him not to tell him to go because of her, but she was shocked when Hibari yawned and sat up, saying, "I suppose I should supervise the game."

Kusu smiled at Seiko while her cheeks flushed.  She whispered quietly so Hibari wouldn't hear, "Is he going cause of me?"

Kusu nodded and leaned back to her, saying, "You don't see it, cause you didn't know the old Hibari.  But he likes you very much."

Seiko shifted her feet nervously as Hibari walked over.  He stared at her for a long time while a little yellow canary landed on his head.  He finally asked, "Shouldn't you be getting those bandages off soon?"

"I go back in for a check up tomorrow."  Seiko answered.

Hibari glared at her for a long moment.  Kusu cleared his throat and made his leave.

Seiko started to say something to him but just sighed and turned back to Hibari with a smile.  "So, do you want to go to the tournament with me?"

He glared.  "I don't like crowds."

Seiko puffed her cheeks.  "I was just asking."

"I said I was going to supervise."  Hibari repeated.  "Why do you want to go anyway?  Will you even be able to go with that stupid bandage over your eye?"

Seiko glared.  "My god, what is with you and these bandages?  I have another good eye you know?"

Hibari sighed and didn't say anymore.

 

They stood at the back of the stands, over the crowd.  Tsuna, Leona, and the rest of the crowd were at the front of the stands, cheering Yamamoto on.

It was a beautiful day and everyone was enjoying their time.

Seiko smiled.  If only she'd known that the next day would start the biggest challenge of the rest of her life.  She would have savored the time a little more.


	47. In the Darkness

eiko was laying on the couch.  She kept putting her hand in front of her right eye, wondering if she'd be able to see when the bandages were gone.  In her kitchen, Hibari was doing dishes.  Since he'd been released from the hospital, he'd been at her house almost constantly.  It made her think about Kusu's words and why he didn't like to go home.  While he was here, he was always working, doing her chores for her, cooking for her, and more than anything, taking care of the kittens - that had gotten a lot bigger by the way.

He never let her do anything.  Like she was some sick wounded puppy that needed coddling.

She heard Hibari's voice and it made her jump.  "What time is your check-up?"

"In an hour."  She answered, still playing with her sight.

"Am I taking you?" 

"If you want."  Seiko responded, glaring when Pyro gave her a look like was going to jump on her face.

"You're not walking."

Seiko rolled her eyes.  "Then I guess you're taking me."

 

Hibari slowed the bike to a stop outside of the Namimori doctor's office.  Seiko climbed off and started to take her helmet off when Hibari pushed her hands away.  He said, "You see awkwardly with only one eye, you might stab yourself."

Seiko glared.  "Will you shut up?  I get it."  She snapped, marching towards the door without waiting for him.  He didn't rush, following her casually.

After a ten minute wait, the doctor came and got her.  When she got up, Hibari glanced at the doctor expectantly.  The doctor glanced between Seiko and Hibari.  he asked, "Does he want to join as well?"

Seiko glanced back at Hibari.  He stood up without saying anything and followed.  In the room, he shut the door.  The onlything in there was a machine, chair, and a mirror.  Seiko felt weird.  It wasn't the same exam she remembered.  The doctor motioned for her to sit down in the chair.  He dimmed the lights and said, "Tell me once your eye adjusts."

After about ten minutes, Seiko said, "Okay, I'm good."

The doctor tipped her head up and started at the bandages.  She was aware of Hibari's gaze on her the whole time.  The doctor ordered, "Keep your left eye closed until I tell you."  Seiko obeyed.  As soon as the bandages were pulled off, she heard a gasp.  She thought she may have imagined it, but she also thought it really was Hibari.

The doctor brushed back her hair and examined the wound.  "It's finally scabbing over so the wound is on it's way to healing.  The stitches are dissolved in.  Unfortunately, it's going to leave a pretty nasty scar no matter what."

Seiko bit her lip.  She felt her eye wanting to flutter open.  The doctor chuckled, seeing her twitch.  "Are you ready?"

Seiko nodded.  The doctor cupped his hand over her eye and gently said, "Go ahead.  Open it slowly."

Seiko gasped when the moment she started to lift her eyelid, it hurt.  The doctor cooed.  "Easy.  The cut went through the crease of your eyelid, its going to be very sore.  Don't rush."  Seiko let her eyes close again.  She felt a hand on hers.  She wasn't sure if it was the doctor or not.  Of course it was.  Hibari wouldn't hold her hand.

After several tries, she got her eye opened.  It hurt so much that it wanted to just close right back up.  Her eye watered.  The doctor looked at her curiously.  He held up his free hand.  "Can you see my hand?"

"yeah..."  She answered, but she was distracted by the fact he had more than two hands.  No.  She tried to look to her left, but when her eye moved, she screeched with pain and ducked her head, holding her face.  "Oh shit."

"Easy, easy."  The doctor shouted.  "It's too soon to change the direction of your gaze.  You'll damage the iris."

"S-sorry."  Seiko slowly lifted her head up, the water now racing down the side of her face.  The doctor pursed his lips.  "What?"

She gasped and recoiled when she felt something suddenly pressed to the left side of her face.  She realized after pulling back that it was a cloth.  The doctor was watching her intensely.  "Can you see my hand?"

She saw nothing.  "Please tell me I'm not supposed to."

"You're supposed to."  The doctor confessed.

Seiko finally turned her head and saw that it was, in fact, Hibari beside her, holding her hand.  She couldn't even see him standing there.  She looked back at the doctor.  "So...I still have no vision in my left eye?"

The doctor covered up her right.  "Can you see?"

Seiko pursed her lips.  "Dammit..."  She cursed to the darkness.

The doctor stepped back.  "I want to run a test before you leave.  It will tell me the extent of damage.  When i get the results, I should be able to inform you whether or not you should recover your vision."

Seiko nodded.  "Can I keep the bandages off?"

"I only want them off when you know you won't be exposed to anything that could cause any type of infection.  At home, preferably when you're sleeping.  Absolutely not outside or with large crowds.  Not until those wounds are closer to being healed."

Seiko sighed.  "Okay."

 

Her test took about an hour.  She felt bad as she trotted out of the hospital.  She was only halfway surprised this time when she saw Hibari waiting on his bike.

He glared at her.  She slowed to a stop.  "I'm so sorry...!  That took so long!"

He turned his head away and held the helmet out to her.  "Whatever."

"What's wrong?  Are you mad?"  Seiko asked, not used to putting the helmet on herself.

"Just shut up and get on."

Seiko sighed, climbing on and warpping her arms around his waist.  Even back inside her own apartment, he wouldn't respond to her.  She went to feed the kittens when he pulled her back out of the kitchen and pushed her towards the living room.  "Go lay down."

Seiko glared at him.  "You're the one that told me to take care of them in the first place!  What is your problem?"

Instead of answering her, he grabbed her wrist and all but dragged her to the living room and set her down, going back to the kitchen.

Seiko sighed and leaned back, brushing her hand across the bandages on her face.  So she really could end up being half blind...

And now Hibari was acting weird with her.  She hated all of this coming on at once.  She leaned back on the pillows on the couch with a heavy sigh.  She had just started to let herself fall asleep when she felt a vibration in her pocket.

She pulled out her phone and stared at the unknown number.  She answered, "Hello?"

"Did anyone think to tell us?"

Seiko's blood ran cold and her eyes widened.  She sat up quickly and breathed, "Saigon."

He must have heard her because Hibari stepped out of the kitchen, looking at her curiously.

Saigon informed, "You're lucky that I have your number.  Your father is in a fit."

"Only a fit?"  Seiko laughed without humor.  "I don't...what kind of consequences are we talking here?"

"Consequences?"  Saigon repeated questioningly.

"Yeah...the heiress is dead...so..."  Seiko whispered.  "What does that mean?"

There was a chuckling on the other end.  "Not even close."

Seiko blinked.  "What?"

"Daiya is just mad that now he's behind on correcting things."

"Correcting things?"

"The heiress is still alive."

"No...she's not, I watched her."

"Seiko.  Don't you get it?"

"No."

"The heiress is still alive because there was two."

"You can't possibly mean...?"

"Yes, Seiko.  You're now the heiress."

"But I failed to - "

"We're going to have a long discussion about it when we get there.  We'll be at the sushi restaurant there in Namimori in two hours, okay?  Be there.  We'll explain everything."

He hung up.

Seiko stared at her phone.

Hibari looked at her expectantly.  "What was that?"

"I guess...I'm getting a visit from my dad and uncle soon."

"How...soon?"

"Two hours.  Care to join?"

Hibari's eyes darkened.  He didn't answer, but when two hours came around, he followed her out and put a helmet on her head.


	48. Strengths and Weaknesses

Inside the Sushi shop, Leona and Yamamoto were in the doorway.

Seiko tapped Leona's shoulder.  "Excuse us."

Leona stared and pushed Seiko back suddenly.  "Seiko!  Your dad and uncle are in there right now!"

"I know.  I'm supposed to be meeting them."  Seiko explained, brushing past him.

Leona started to say something else when, much more rudely, Hibari pushed by the two of them as well.

Yamamoto stared at Leona.  "What is going on?"

Leona shook her head.  "No idea..." 

Hibari sat down at a seperate booth, away from the group around the table.  It was Daiya, her grandmother, Saigon, and his two kids.

Seiko took the seat between Saigon and Daiya.  Daiya sipped his coffee and looked at Saigon.  "Please wave Leona over."

Saigon looked over at her and motioned for her to sit down in the seat beside him.  Leona looked hesitantly back at Yamamoto before going and sitting down.

From where Daiya was he glared across the table to the booth where Hibari sat.  Daiya growled lowly.  "Why is he here again?  This is a family affair."

"You invited Leona over."  Seiko informed.

"Leona is technically part of our family."  Daiya retorted quickly.

"And Hibari is technically part of mine."

His eyes narrowed.  But Seiko noticed that  Hibari seemed to react somehow to her words.

Daiya waved his hand.  "Anyway, let's begin this talk.  Leona, you open."

Leona stared with wide eyes.  "What?  What are you talking about?  I don't even know what's going on here."

Daiya groaned.  "Of course."  He took another sip of coffee.  "We're explaining the gems to Seiko."

Leona gaped.  "Oh.  Um...where do you want me to start?"

"With the basics of course."  Daiya explained calmly.

Leona sighed, feeling like she was under twenty pounds of pressure.  "Okay um...well, she knows that she has it clearly.  Does she know how strong it is?"

Daiya arched a brow at her.  "I don't know, does she?"

Saigon elbowed his brother.  "Be nice.  She didn't have time to prepare."

Leona looked at Seiko.  "Okay, the gem is passed down, every child born from a gem weilder is born with one.  The color signifies the element."

Seiko nodded, understanding.

Leona crossed her arms on the table.  "And the closer the gem is to your heart, the stronger it is."

"Stronger...?" Seiko questioned.

Saigon waved his hand.  "That will be explained another time."

Daiya flicked his hand.  "Skip along to the part about the heiress's duty."

Leona glared at Daiya and then said to Seiko, "The most powerful stone belongs to the head of the family.  In order for the family to keep their strength, the heiress must survive and keep their stone."  She watched Seiko's expression.  "As long as one heiress survives, then the family can continue."

Seiko looked at the rest of her family curiously.  "So, no one cares that Cressa is dead...is long as I'm alive."

Daiya made no response.

"It's not that we don't care...it's just that not all hope is lost..."  Saigon explained.  "But now all of our hope lies on your shoulders."

"So...now I have to take charge of the family...?"  Seiko questioned.

"Yeah."  Saigon answered.  "But right now, the only thing you have to worry about is finding a protector."

Seiko blinked.  "What?"

"As the heir, when you take charge and become the head, you must have a protector.  Someone you trust your life in the hands of.  You can pick any family member you want.  You, as the younger sibling of the original heir, hand no choice.  But you do."

"Why is it like that?"

Daiya's eyes narrowed.  "Our family is survival of the fittest, we have no room for weakness."

Seiko scooted back in her seat.  "Then this position isn't for me."

"Excuse me?" Daiya snapped.

Seiko glared at him and pointed to the bandages on her face.  "This isn't the position for me!  I'm not a leader.  I'm a failure.  In case you missed this gash on my face, I'm clearly incapable of fighting for myself.  Majority of you were under the impression that I was going to fail as a protector.  Well, since you guys prepared for this, then you can start preparing for when I fail as well."

Saigon looked at Daiya expectantly.

Daiya stared at his coffee. 

Saigon looked at Seiko instead.  "We've planned for this according to the better talents of each individual.  You're a better leader than you are a fighter."

Seiko stared at him questioningly.

Leona suddenly said, "You're more valuable protected than as a protector.  That's what Sophia and I knew the whole time."

Seiko looked at the table and sighed.  "You guys really think I can do this?"

Leona smiled.  "You do a good job of bringing people together and solving conflicts.  It seems like you always know what needs to be done, when."

Saigon smiled.  "Those are the qualities we want from our leader."

Seiko's gaze turned to Daiya.  What had his qualifications been?  Everyone feared him.  Had he forced his way to the top?  Had circumstance put him in this position?  Or was there a side to him that was unfamiliar to her?

For nearly another hour, they talked to her about what was required of the leader and where things were going to go.  They talked about the relationships between families and the importance of them.  That's where Seiko learned how Sophia and Leona were involved.  They were members of families of other gems taht assisted her own family.

By the time they packed up all of their stuff and headed out, the sun was setting.  At the door, Daiya looked back at her.  "Don't let us down."  He ordered coolly before casually leaving with the others.

Leona was already gone back in the back with Yamamoto.

Seiko jumped when she felt a hand on her back.  She looked up to see Hibari glaring at the door.  Seiko frowned.  "Sorry you had to wait so long.  You're probably irritated."

Hibari didn't say anything, just pushed her out the door to the bike.

After climbing on behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist, she asked, "Hibari-kun...why haven't you been saying anything to me?"

"I have been."  He retorted, hitting the kickstand and about to start the bike.

Seiko grabbed his hand.  "Wait, wait.  No you haven't.  You usually make quick remarks at me all the time, but now you're just quiet unless you're asking a question."

"i just answered something."  Hibari contradicted.

Seiko let go.  "Fine.  Whatever."


	49. Sakura Viewing

Tsuna and the group was all sitting outside the school chatting.  At one point, the sakura viewing festival was brought up.  The topic was brushed over when Tsuna looked over at Leona and Yamamoto, giggling at each other.  Tsuna smiled.  "Oh yeah.  I forgot you guys made it official."

Leona blushed and hid her face.

Gokudera gaped in awe.  "Made what official?"

Tsuna smiled.  "Leona and Yamamoto are going out."

Seiko's cheeks brightened.  "Aw!  I always thought you guys were too cute!"

Leona's face lit up and she looked away.  "Shut up."

She watched the two of them for a while before the topic of the sakura-viewing was brought up again.  Yamamoto chuckled.  "I'm sure if we leave early tomorrow, we can find the best spot."

Gokudera looked at Tsuna.  "Who all is going?"

Tsuna smiled.  "Haru and Kyoko-chan said they wanted to go."

Leona looked at Seiko.  "Are you gonna come with us?"

Seiko shook her head.  "No no, no thanks."

 

Walking down the hall, Leona looked at Seiko.  "Hey, Seiko...why don't you wanna go to the Sakura festival with us?"

Seiko looked down, still thinking about what was said at the picnic table.  She sighed.  "Well, it's not that I don't want to go..."

Leona groaned and leaned on the locker.  "Why don't you invite Hibari to go, too?"

Seiko blushed.  "No."  she said quickly.  "he doesn't like hanging out in groups."

"Oh my god, Seiko."  Leona laughed and smiled.  "Then why don't you just come with us?"

"I don't want to leave him home alone."  Seiko informed.  She thought about what Kusu had also told her, about him never being anywhere but the school if he wasn't at her place.

"I think he could survive.  He's a big boy."  Leona teased.

Seiko glared playfully at her.  "I'll talk to him, okay?  But that's all.  Either way, even if he does say yes, then he'll never agree to sit around with Tsuna and the gang.  He really doesn't like them..."

Leona sighed.  "Okay, lemme know what happens."  She waved and danced off.

 

"President."

Hibari looked up from his book, glaring at Kusukabe.  "What do you want?"

"I heard something intersting in the hall."

"I don't like rumors."  Hibari snapped.

"Seiko-chan would like to go to the sakura-viewing festival tomorrow."

Hibari barely looked up from his book, but he paused in reading.  Kusu added, "She doesn't want to ask you because she know you dislike crowds."

Hibari went back to reading.  "Stay out of my business."

 Kusu smirked, leaving the reception room.

 

Later that evening, Seiko sat on the floor, playing with Pyro and Icil.  While she tickled Pyro's stomach and Icil pounced on her back, her mind wondered over everything going on.  One particular thing stuck in her head.  Leona and Yamamoto were an official couple now.  What decided an official couple?  When did they know they were oficial?

She couldn't help when her gaze drifted to Hibari, laying on the couch reading.  She shook her head.  No, her imagination was getting away with her.

"What's on your mind?"

Seiko jumped when he asked her the question without even looking up from his book.  She went back to the kitten.  "Nothing."

A couple moments later.  "You're lying."

Seiko glared at him.  She wanted to snap something about him not answering a single of her questions all week, but decided against it.  She tease Pyro more.

"Don't play with them so close to your face, he'll scratch your other eye out."

Seiko gasped and glared at him.  "Seriously!?"  She pushed up and stomped to the kitchen.  "Whatever.  I don't know what is with you and making fun of these bandages every chance you get!  I understand that you hate them!"  She opened the fridge to pour herself a drink when she was pulled backwards suddenly.  She was spun and pressed up against the fridge.

Hibari leaned to her cheek and whispered softly.  "If I tell you what's on my mind, will you tell me what's on yours?"

Seiko's face flushed and she took a deep breath.  "Y-yeah..."

Hibari tipped her chin up and his hand brushed over the right side of her face.  She closed her eye when she felt his thumb slowly pull up the bandages on the left side of her face.  "I hate these bandages so much.  I hate looking at them.  They piss me off."  After he got the last band pulled off, he let the wad fall to the ground.  "Because I know what's under them.  I failed to protect you.  I can't look at you and not see that."  He cupped her face and brushed his lips along her wounds.  He let his lips rest on her left eye and whispered, "I'm never going to let it happen again."

Seiko stared at him for the longest time.  "That's what's been on your mind the whole time?"

"Yes."  Hibari confessed.

She stood there in silence for a while, thinking over the last week.  He wouldn't let her do anything, was super protective of her.  It clicked into place now.  She stared back up at him.  She felt her heart starting to race, but she couldn't form words.

"Now.  I heard something interesting."  Hibari stated, not moving back so she couldn't move away from the fridge.  She looked at him expectantly and he finished.  "You want to go to the sakura festival."

Seiko's eye widened.  "Who told said that?"

From his expression, she knew he wasn't going to say anything.  Seiko shook her head.  "I know it would only make you uncomfortable.  So I'm not going to ask you to go."

"Do you want to go?" He pressed.

"Not without you."  Seiko said before she thought it through.  A blush spread on her cheeks and she looked away.

Hibari stared a moment before pulling back away from her.  "Go lay down."

Seiko went to the living room and lay on the couch.  "Hibari-kun?"

"Yeah?"  He asked from the kitchen.

"You know...that you're welcome here any time, right?"

She was answered with silence.

"I don't mind if you ever want to stay here, either.  You don't have to wait for an invite..."

Silence.

He came out a couple minutes later with a glass of water and the medicine she'd been taking for the pain in her face.  "Go to sleep."  He ordered softly.  Seiko closed her eyes.  She startled a bit when she felt the soft touch across the left side of her face.

Her own hand rested on his, conveying that she enjoyed his touch.

She fell asleep to it after a short time.

 

The next day, Tsuna and his group were heading to the park where the sakura trees were lined up.

Yamamoto looked around.  "I think the girls will like this place..."

Tsuna smiled as well.  "Yeah, it has a great view, here."

They started to set a blanket down when a guy stepped out from behind a tree.  He said, "This area is off limits."

Gokudera walked up to him.  "You can't reserve a place for the Sakura festival."  The guy started to protest when Gokudera kicked him and he dropped immediately.

On the ground, Tsuna noticed the armband adn gasped.  "Th-that guy is part of the Discipline committee..."

The three of them looked up as Hibari walked up.  "It's you guys making the noise?"

Tsuna gasped.  "H-Hibari-san!  I'm s-sorry!"

Yamamoto looked at him and tried to smile.  "Hey, easy, can't we share this spot?"

Hibari glared.  "I want to enjoy the sakura away from the crowd..."

Reborn appeared in a tree.  "Why not a game to decide who gets the spot?"

Hibari smirked.  "Alright.  I was just going to beat them up anyway."

"What's the game?"  Yamamoto asked eagerly.

"Each of you can take me one on one.  When your knee touches teh ground, you lose."  Hibari pulled out his tonfas.

Gokudera ran at him first.  "I'll take you down."

Hibari went to hit him straight on when he charged, but just as he swung the tonfa, Gokudera dove to the side and threw several bombs up.  They exploded around Hibari immediately.

Gokudera grinned.  "Got him."

Hibari chuckled when the smoke cleared.  "Got who?"  He swung at Gokudera who dropped to one knee.

"Game over." Reborn announced.

Hibari smirked and continued going for Gokudera.

Tsuna gasped, "Hibari-san stop!"

"I don't think so..."  He went to hit Gokudera again, but Yamamoto stopped him with a bat.

"Now I'm your oponent."  Yamamoto said with a chuckle.  Hibari pulled back quickly and went to hit him as well, but they both clashed weapons.

After several times, when they locked weapons, Hibari turned, nailing him in the face with his other arm.  He stood up straight.  "Two down."  He turned, glaring at Tsuna.

Reborn chuckled.  "Fight with your dying will."  He shot Tsuna suddenly.

Tsuna charged at Hibari with a mop for a weapon.  In his dying will state, he matched Hibari for each strike.  After so long, when Tsuna pulled back, his dying will faded.

Hibari smirked.  "You're done."  He went for the final blow.

"Hibari-kun!"

Hibari stopped suddenly and looked over.

Seiko and Leona walked up.  Seiko was wearing a red floral kimono witha  black sash, while Leona wore teh same except blue and purple.  Seiko glared at Hibari.  "What are you doing!?"

Hibari stared at her.  "Playing a game."

Seiko looked at Tsuna and asked.  "Then why is Tsuna on the ground crying?"

Leona sighed.  "They were fighting."

Yamamoto walked over to Leona, resting his chin on the top of her head.  "Hibari wanted to reserve this spot so we were playing a game to see who would get it.  We lost."

Seiko's gaze softened.  "That's enough."  She walked over to Hibari and looped an arm around his and pulled him along.  She looked up at him.  "You didn't need to do that."

Hibari glared down at her.  "I don't like crowds."

Seiko pulled him along despite his reluctance.  "Then we'll find a place away from the crowds somewhere else.  It doesn't have to be the best spot."

He went quiet.

Seiko smiled as she pulled him along.  "Thank you though..."  She leaned up on her toes and kissed his cheek.  "I appreciate it."

His hand came to the left side of her face, brushing over the bandages.  She smiled and stopped on the small hill.  She looked around.  "Is this far enough away?"

In response, he sat down right where they were.  He pulled off his jacket and sat it down next to him.  She blushed, sitting down on it.  He yawned as though he was already bored.  Seiko glanced at him.  "Try not beat up Tsuna and the others if you don't have to, okay?"

He didn't say anything back.  He started to lay back, but Seiko stopped him.  He watched her curiously as she scooted over so when he leaned back, his head was propped up in her lap.  He gave another yawn while Seiko played with his bangs.

He looked up at her.  "I wish you weren't so attached to that group of herbivores."

"But I'm not."  Seiko corrected.  "I'm more attached to you.  Look where I am."

He stared at her for a long time.  As though content, he closed his eyes.

Seiko smiled when before the blossoms even started falling, he was asleep.

Seiko relaxed, watching them fall with a smile glued on her face.  She reached her hand out and caught one of the petals, smiling when she felt the softness of the petal.  Another one danced around through the sky and landed on Hibari's nose.

Seiko couldn't help giggling.  Softly, she stroked his cheek, leaning down and kissing his forehead.

It was a good day.


	50. All Lost

Seiko sighed as she walked with Leona.  "I can't believe those idiots have gone and gotten themselves lost."

Leona giggled.  "I know...but..."  She looked into the huge forest. 

"Why were they going out here anyway?"  Seiko asked.

Leona glared.  "that guy, Dino, wanted to train them."

"And gets them lost?"  Seiko growled.  "This is frustrating!"

Leona leaned towards Seiko.  "Speaking of.  Why...are those guys following us?"

Seiko didn't even have to look over her shoulder.  She knew that three members of the Discipline committee, including Kusukabe were walking a distance behind her.  "Hibari refused to help me look for them, so he sent members of his committee to keep track of me instead."

Leona giggled as they walked up to what looked like where a bridge had collapsed.  They both looked at the torn ropes and at the same time, said, "Dino's doing."

Seiko put her hands on her hips.  "How are we going to get down there?"

Leona kneeled down.  "Can you climb cliffs?"

"I can try..."  Seiko mentioned.

Leona was already putting her foot down on a rock.  "Guess we could call this exercise."

Seiko laughed, kneeling at the edge.  "Or suicide."  As soon as she started to slip down, a hand reached out, grabbing her arm and pulling her back.  She grumbled and glared over her shoulder at Kusukabe.  "What?"

"I think this would qualify as too dangerous."  He stated, his eyes apologetic.  "I don't want to make you mad, but I'm more afraid of disobeying Hibari-san."

Seiko stomped a foot.  "I know..."  She looked at Leona who was starting down.  "Be careful Leona..."

Leona glared playfully up at her.  "Don't worry about me, I'm fine.  You have fun...not having fun."  She teased.

Seiko glared at her.  She really wanted to follow her down and help her, but she didn't want to get Kusu and others in trouble with Hibari.  So instead, she stood back and looked around. 

Kusu looked at her questioningly.  "What are you doing?"

"Finding another way down."  Seiko said just before running off.  The boys gasped as they tried to chase her, but Seiko was gone too fast.  Further along the cliffside, she found descent that wasn't so steep.  She turned sharply and slipped and slid along the rock pathway.

The discipline committee watched her run down.  They looked at each other.  Kusu asked, "Who wants to call Hibari and tell him that we lost her?"

At the bottom, Seiko ran along the forest until she got where Leona ended up.  Leona glared at her.  "Did you seriously find a faster way down?"

Seiko giggled.  "Yeah.  I had to ditch the committee."

Leona smiled, proud of her.  "You're going to get in so much trouble."

Seiko glared.  "So?  It's my life."

Leona threw her arms around Seiko.  "I'm so proud of you!"

Seiko laughed and pushed her back.  "C'mon, let's go find these knuckleheads."

After a while of walking, they stumbled upon the group walking away from a cave.

Yamamoto waved his hand.  "Hey!  The cavalry's here!"

Leona threw herself around him and held him tight.  "Don't make me worry so much, Yamamoto!"

Yamamoto picked her up and gave her a huge hug.  "Sorry, girl.  I wasn't planning on getting lost...if that makes it any better."

"No, it doesn't."  Leona joked.

"So how do we get back?"  Yamamoto asked.

"Seiko found a path down the cliff that we could take."  Leona informed.

"It's a pretty thin path.  I was barely able to make it down.  And back up is a whole other story."  Seiko informed.

"Let's check it out."  Dino stated, putting his hands on Seiko's shoulders and guiding her back the other direction.

Everyone followed.

Seiko stopped when she got to the cliff face.  She looked up to the top.  "This is it."

Dino stared.  "Where's the path?"

Seiko pointed to the thin mound of rocks that fell less steadier.

Leona gasped, "You ran down that!?"

"Slid actually..."  Seiko informed.  "i lost my footing about halfway down."

Leona was breathing hoarsely.  "You...are crazy."

Yamamoto rubbed the back of his head.  "What if we just made a signal fire?"

Leona nodded.  "There's an idea."

"Here, I'll start it."  Gokudera announced, pulling out sticks of dynamite.

Biachi who had walked out of the cave with the others, pulled Gokudera towards her and said, "Great idea!"

Gokudera collapsed, seeing his sister's face and the dynamite rolled away, exploding and catching a huge portion of the forest on fire.

While Dino tried to give orders, Lambo cried and threw more bombs.  "idiot!"  Dino shouted.

"What do we do!?"  Tsuna shouted.

Reborn dug out of the earth in a mole outfit.  "Put out the fire."  He ordered, shooting Tsuna.

Tsuna stripped his clothes and started searching the ground.  He found a crack and punched it.  A small pool of water formed on the ground.

Leona's eyes brightened.  "I got this!"  She swirled her hands in front of her and motioned upwards.  The water followed her guidance and, with one spin, she put out the raging fire and the water fell to the ground.

Yamamoto grinned.  "Way to go, Leona!"

Leona giggled and blushed.  "Thanks Yama-kun..."

"Okay love birds!"  Gokudera shouted between them.  "We haven't found our way home yet!"

Dino made a face.  "Hm...well..."

"Huh?"  Seiko looked over and her eyes widened. 

Enzio had grown to a larger size than what he should have been.  He growled.  Seiko commented, "He's mad."

Leona shouted, "Run!"

They all bolted the opposite direction.  Leona cried, unable to keep from laughing.  "We're going to get even more lost!"

Gokudera added, "I don't even know what direction we're going!"

"It doesn't matter!  Just run!"  Tsuna cried.

After a couple hours, Enzio finally dried out and calmed down, shrinking back to size.  All of them collapsed, panting with exhaustion.

Gokudera looked up.  "The sun is setting..."

Yamamoto sighed.  "We're totally screwed..."

Lambo started crying.  "I wanna go home!"

Tsuna patted Lambo and I-pin's heads, hoping to calm them down.

Dino crossed his arms.  "We may as well get supplies for a small camp.  Let's focus on starting a fire."  Dino suggested.  "If we wait until it's dark, then we're sleeping cold."

"It seems like it's always the same group causing trouble."

Everyone looked up at the voice but Dino was the one that jumped up and pulled out his whip.

But Seiko smiled and shouted, "Hibari-kun!"

Tsuna's jaw dropped.  "Wh-what are you doing here, Hibari-san?"

Hibari glared at Seiko and she knew what he was here for.  "I still had to come out here and get you, after all."

Seiko blushed and looked away.  "S-sorry."

"Whatever, come on."  He ordered.

Seiko got to her feet.

Tsuna trembled.  "W-wait, do you know the way back?"

Hibari glared at him but didn't respond.  He waited for Seiko before starting to walk off.

Yamamoto commented, "I think it's a safe bet to follow them."

Everyone agreed and followed a safe distance behind the two of them.

Seiko looked up at Hibari.  "If you didn't want to come out here so much, you didn't have to, ya know?"

"And leave you in the care of these herbivores?  I don't think so."

Seiko elbowed him.  "Don't be a jerk!"

"Don't be careless."  He snapped back.

Seiko puffed her cheeks and gave a frustrated sigh.  "I'm sorry I'm such a burden to you."

Hibari just pushed her along.

After less than an hour of walking, they stepped out of the forest and to the side road where she saw Hibari's bike parked.  "You sure walked a ways."

Like usual, he put the helmet on her head, but he paused and glared when the others walked out of the forest.

Tsuna stumbled.  "U-um...thank you...for guiding us out..."

Hibari ignored him and finished clipping the chin strap.  "Get on."  He ordered coolly.

Seiko tipped her head curiously, but didn't argue.  She sat down, watching him walk back over to Tsuna and the others.  Her skin crawled with worry.  From where she was, she couldn't hear anything when he started talking.

 

"I've given you several warnings, herbivore."  Hibari growled.  "Stop getting her involved in your rediculous games."

Tsuna cowered.  "I'm sorry...!"

Dino put a hand on Hibari's shoulder.  "Easy.  Seiko got herself involved.  Tsuna can't force her to do anything any better than you can, clearly."

Hibari's gaze narrowed intensely on him.  "And who are you?"

"Dino Chavallone."  He answered with a big smile.  "It's nice to finally meet you, Hibari."

Hibari turned away, giving Tsuna one last glare.  "This is the last time.  If you involve her in anything else, I will bite you to death next time."

Tsuna whined.  "Why do I always get blamed for all of this?"


	51. Disturbance

Different from usual, Hibari got on the bike behind her, his arms around her as he drove.  She yawned under the helmet, feeling like she could fall asleep any time.  She didn't realize when they got to the apartment, she was already half dozing.

Hibari unclipped her helmet and pulled it off.  Without any warning, he lifted her up and walked up the stairs to her apartment.  Hibari growled as he walked in.  "Carrying you isn't an invitation to sleep."

Seiko blushed.  "I-I know that!"

He set her down on the couch and then walked away.

He came back a few minutes later with the medicine for her eye.  Seiko winced when he reached for the bandage after sitting down next to her.  He paused.  "What's wrong?"

"That medicine hurts..."  Seiko whined.

Hibari glared.  "Don't be such an herbivore."

Seiko sighed and kept her eyes closed as he pulled the bandages off.  She gasped when she felt his lips touch each of the cuts and then rested on the eyelid of her blind eye.  "I'll be as gentle as possible..."  He told her.

She leaned to him, a small sound escaping.  He brushed peroxide over each cut and she gritted her teeth when it stung.  He kept his lips somewhere on her face while applying the peroxide to each cut.  She had to admit, it was distracting her.  When he was done, he brushed the cloth over each cut.  She wanted to open her eyes, but knew that she shouldn't.

Cause she heard him opening the medicine.  She swallowed hard and tensed up, waiting for the application.  She felt him draw naer, but instead of the pain of the medicine, his lips were on hers suddenly.

Her face was flush as she kissed him back, the touch of his lips making her skin grow warm.  When he kissed her, she was aware of a sharper tingling through the left side of her face.  She gripped his shirt as they kissed, barely able to remain sitting up on her own.

His lips pulled from hers but didn't leave her skin.  He kissed along her jaw and down her neck.  Her face was red hot by the time he withdrew.  "There."

Seiko gasped when she realized there was an uncomfortable sting on the side of her face and Hibari was closing up the medicine.

Seiko stared at him.  "You...already put it on?"

Hibari smirked, gathering everything up and taking it back to the bathroom.  "It's easy to know what will occupy and distract you."

Seiko blushed with embarrassment. 

He came back, propping a pillow on the side of the couch and making Seiko lay down.  He had the extra blanket and tossed it over her.  He sat on the edge of the couch and asked, "Are you in pain?  Do you need pain reliever?"

Seiko shook her head.  He started to get up when she grabbed his sleeve.  He looked at her as she asked, "Hibari-kun...will you...stay here with me?"

Hibari glared at her.  "You sound pathetic."

Seiko frowned.  She noticed at he was staring at her face for the longest time.  His eyes grew sad and he turned away.  "I'm not leaving..."

Seiko whispered softly, "I wish you wouldn't blame yourself..."

"It was my job to protect you."  Hibari informed.  "And I didn't.  I'm not making that mistake again.  Go to sleep."

Seiko watched him for the longest time.  He cleaned up a little and fed the kittens.  He was headed for the bedroom when Seiko got up, holding the pillow close.  He looked back at her.  "What are you doing?"

Her face was flush as she got up and walked to him, pressing herself against him.  "Please...let me stay with you..."

"I already said I was staying here."  Hibari informed, glaring at her, not sure what to do with her little body pressed against him.

"No...I mean..."  She hid her face against his shirt.  "I want to sleep where I can see you."

Hibari stiffened.  "S-so you're saying..."

She finally looked up at him.  "Let me sleep with you...?  Please...I promise not to make it awkward... I'll even sleep on the other end of the bed!  I just, I don't - "

His arms wrapped around her suddenly.  He pressed his face to her hair.  "Stop, Seiko."

She was trembling in his hold.  "I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have asked - "

"Your request is rediculous."  He said against her head.

"I know, I said I'm so - "

"You're not sleeping anywhere but in my arms."

Seiko's eye widened with surprise.

He held her tightly so that she couldn't look up and see his face.  "Since we left the hospital, not a night went by that I didn't stay awake...worrying about you.  If you were safe, if you were hurting, if I was going to mess up again.  The only way I can protect you at all times...is if I'm with you at all times."

She gripped his shirt, unable to stop herself from asking, "Then just stay here with me...you make me feel safe, Hibari-kun..."

There was a long pause.

He asked, "If I stay here, will you promise to never do what you did today again?"

Seiko's gaze softened.

"I know you're strong...but I don't want you fighting anymore."  Hibari tucked her in closer to him, kissing the uninjured side of her face.  "Just let me do the dangerous stuff."

Seiko's gaze softened.  She asked, "Can we talk about this in the morning?"

"Yeah..."  He agreed, lifting her up and carrying her to the bed.

 

A figure lurked in the darkness.

Leona turned around.

Fire erupted around her body and she screamed.

Then she was falling.

Lightning crashed around her.

She screamed for help but she had no voice.

When she hit the ground, she heard the sound of metal echo around her. 

She reached out, her fingers finding small circular objects.  They were cold to the touch.

A sword flew through the air and landed between her arms in front of her face.  She saw her own disgruntled reflection staring back at her.

She recoiling and ran.

She came to a stop suddenly when a tall woman with red hair faced her.  She was thin but with more than well-defined curves.  Her ruby eyes sparkled when she smiled.

Leona gasped.  "Who are you?"

"Premonitions hurt, huh?"

"Answer my question!" Leona screamed.

The woman chuckled and pulled something out of her suit jacket top.  She handed her a ring with a ruby on it.  "Remember this, okay?"

 

Leona flew awake, eyes wide.  "Oh my god..."


	52. Mia and Lambo

Seiko jumped when she heard her phone ringing.  She sat up slowly, Hibari's limp arm sliding down her body.  Her face was flushed at teh idea of the two of them sleeping together.  Being as careful as she could, she slipped away from him and went to her cellphone.

It was unsual for something like this to not wake him up.  He must've been serious about not sleeping because he was so worried.

She frowned, guilt swelling up in her.

She left the bedroom and answered the phone.  "Hello?"

All she heard was heavy breathing at first.  When the person finally spoke, she recognized Leona's voice.  "Are you alone?"

"Why?"  Seiko asked, pulling on a jacket and stepping outside of the apartment.

"Something...weird happened."

"Weird?"  Seiko repeated curiously.

"I think I had a premonition."  Leona confessed.  "But I can't decipher it at all."

"What does that mean?"  Seiko asked.

"I'm not sure.  I've never had a premonition as jumbled as that one.  But I only remembered one part of it."

"What's that?"  Seiko questioned.

"There was a ring.  A red one."

"What about it?"

"I dunno.  It's the only image stuck in my head."

"That's weird..."  Seiko confessed.

"I know.  Be careful for a while, okay, Seiko?  I don't know who this premonition was about."

Seiko agreed and hesitated to ask, "Have you heard from Sophia?"

Leona sighed heavily.  "No.  I think you need to just let it go, okay?"

"...Kay."

Seiko and Leona hung up.  Seiko stared at her phone for the longest time, wondering what had become of Sophia.

Seiko heard the apartment door open up behind her.  She didn't bother to look up as Hibari leaned on the rail beside her.  "Are you okay?"

Seiko nodded.  "Yeah.  Leona had another premonition."

Hibari's eyes narrowed.  "You believe in that crap?"

Seiko sighed.  "Her last premonition, the first one that involved me...was spot on.  She said that I witnissed someone die and that I would come close to it."

There was something painful in Hibari's expression and he looked away.

Seiko looked back into the purple morning sky.  "I'm just concerned...that the premonition might be about Sophia."

Hibari looked at her.  "Why are you concerned about her?  She was involved with and helped the same guy that made that premonition come true."

Seiko looked at the ground.  "I know that, but...you didn't see her.  She didn't really want to do it...but...she was in love with Mukuro...from the bottom of her heart."

Hibari's eyes narrowed on her.  "So...you're saying that being in love with someone excuses her from doing terrible things?"

"Well, no.  But I am saying...that it means you can sympathize, at least a little."  Seiko looked at him curiously.  "Haven't you ever been so in love with someone or something that you thought of doing something you know you shouldn't, for that person?"

Hibari stared at her for a long time.  Finally, he looked away.  "Yes."

"Then I think you can understand where Sophia was coming from."  Seiko confessed.  "But I don't understand why she ran away."

"She went to bring Mukuro back."  Hibari stated.  "If she's as in love as you say."

Seiko's eyes widened.  "Do you really think so?"

Hibari didn't look at her.  "If you want me to sympathize...and I was in her position and you were in Mukuro's...I wouldn't rest until I had taken you from there and pulled you back into my arms."

Seiko stared at him.  It was unusual for him to be so open with his feelings.  It caused her insides to tingle with happiness.  Seiko whispered to herself.  "She'll never bring him back alone."

Hibari glared at her suddenly and adamently said, "No."

Seiko jumped in surprise.  "No what?"  She asked.

"I know what you're thinking."  Hibari stated.  "You're not going searching for her to help her."

Seiko's eye narrowed.  "But what if - "

He grabbed her arm.  "I'm not kidding.  You're not throwing yourself into danger again."

Seiko sighed and leaned on the rail, pulling away from him.  "She's still my friend..."  She commented.

Hibari watched her before pulling her back from the rail.  "Come back inside, it's too cold this morning to be outside without a jacket."

"You sure do worry a lot..."  Seiko confessed, going inside.

 

Leona and Yamamoto were walking down the street.  He kept looking at her curiously.  "What's wrong?  You seem upset."

Leona looked up at him, thought about saying something, but then decided that she didn't want to drag him into her own little cyclone of paranoia.  "It's nothing."

He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.  "Don't tell me that, you know I don't believe you."

Leona couldn't help but smile while she nuzzled her face to his shirt.  "I know.  But there's no sense in you worrying as well.  It's not anything that can be helped."

"Will you at least tell me?  I promise not to worry."  Yamamoto asked, pulling her to the bench with him.  His arms rested on her lower back.

Leona sighed.  "I had a weird premonition.  It's not like the others I've had before.  I only remember one small detail from it."

"Hm?"  Yamamoto asked, his eyes serious.

"A small red ring.  That's it.  Just that ring."

"Weird..."  He reached up and stroked a hand through her hair.  "But you're right about what you said.  There's nothing you can do right now until you learn more.  So don't worry, okay?"

Leona nodded.

He stood back up and took her hand.  "Let's go help dad at the shop to take your mind off of it for a while."

 

Seiko yawned as she and Hibari walked back from the store.  Like always, Hibari was carrying the cat food.  Halfway down the street, they were stopped by a small cow running across the side walk.  Hibari made a face.  "That's a familiar sight."

Seiko gasped and caught Lambo before he ran into the street.  She picked him up, "What are you doing?"

Lambo was crying loudly and Seiko frowned.  "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

"Lambo wants to play!  Play with Lambo!"  He ordered, wiggling in her arms.

Seiko set him back down and kneeled in front of him.  "Lambo, I can't.  I have to go to my own house."

Lambo rubbed his face.  "Where girl?"

"What girl?"  Seiko asked.

"Girl playing with Lambo."

Seiko stood up and looked around, surprised when a girl trotted down the street.  She had thick purple hair bouncing behind her as she ran up.  She slowed to a stop and leaned her hands on her knees, panting.  "Hey, sorry.  Is he with you?"

When she looked up and her silver eyes met Seiko's red ones, she felt and electricity surge through the air and Seiko's head began to pound.  She held her temple and shook her head.  "N-no.  Um...he's with a friend of mine.  But he wanders around a lot."

The girl kneeled down, pulling Lambo into her arms.  She held him close.  "He's just so cute, he looked lonely walking by himself.  We started playing and then another small baby showed up.  Lambo started screaming and went after him.  I don't know what happened, I thought I lost him."

Seiko smiled, "That was probably Reborn.  Don't worry about him too much, Lambo and Reborn known each other."

The girl nodded.  "Where is your friends house?  It's getting late and I should probably take him back."

Seiko pointed back down the street.  "That big cream-colored house at the end.  Just ask for Tsuna and give them Lambo.  I'm sure they won't ask any questions.  They'll probably apologize a lot."

Lambo clung to the girl.  "Lambo doesn't want to go back!"

The girl sighed and rubbed his big bushy hair.  "Come on Lambo.  If you go home like a good boy, Mia will come back and play some more, okay?"

Lambo's eyes widened and he started screaming with happiness as Mia carried him away.

Seiko smiled awkwardly.  "That girl...looked familiar."

"Let's go.  It's getting dark."  Hibari ordered.

Seiko didn't argue.

They were almost back to the apartment when Hibari paused.  She looked back at him.  "What is it?"

He looked over.  "Are you hungry?"

"Not really."

"You haven't eaten since noon."  Hibari stated, his eyes narrowing.

Seiko puffed her cheeks.  "But, I - "

With his free hand, he grabbed the back of her shirt and pushed her into the sushi shop.

Seiko started to turn back and snap at him when she saw Leona behind the counter with Yamamoto and his dad.  She skipped up to him.  "Leona!"

Leona stared at Seiko a long time, her eyes a bit glazed like she'd been thinking about something.  Then she shook her head smiled.  "Oh hey, Seiko-chan.  How are you?"

 "Good, you?"  Seiko asked.  She thought about asking about her dazed look, but decided that she'd rather just have a nice conversation with her friend.

"Hey, so you know what's coming up, right?"  Leona teased.

Seiko shook her head, her brow arched in expectation.

Leona laughed.  "New Years!  Do you have plans?"

"No..."  Seiko said, the end of the word weighted.

Leona pursed her lips, glancing at Hibari and back to her, her gaze expectant.

Seiko gaped.  "What?"

Leona sang casually, "Do you wanna come to a big party with Yamamoto and I?  We're going to Tsuna's!"

"Um...I don't know...I - "

"Yes."

Seiko looked over at Hibari who was taking the sushi that Yamamoto handed him.  He glared at her.  "You do."

"Well I know I do, but what about - "

"Do you want to come to, Hibari-san?"  Leona asked.

"No."  He stated without hesitation.

Yamamoto smirked.  "Oh come on, don't be a downer, Hibari.  Come hang out with us."

"I don't like crowds."  Hibari snapped, quickly losing his patience.

"It's fine."  Seiko pulled him away, not wanting him to get upset.

Leona tried one last time, "Seiko-chan would be really happy if you went!"

Hibari paused and looked down at Seiko.  His eyes bore into her's before he sighed.  "Fine.  But I'm not staying long."

Seiko couldn't help but smile as they walked out of the Sushi shop.


	53. Hunting Pyro

Seiko huffed as she looked in the mirror.  It was a New Year's Party, but Seiko hadn't thought about one major issue.  She didn't have a kimono for the festivities.

After a couple puppy-dog faces, she convinced Hibari to join her to find one.  He'd originally told her to just go with Leona, but she really wanted to get one that he liked.  Her reflection looked back at her questioningly with a red shoulder kimono with a setting sun design, fading into black at the bottom hem.  She really liked it, but she wasn't sure if it looked any good on her or not.

She stepped out of the dressing room and looked down, shifting.  "What do you think?"  Seiko questioned.

Hibari had his arms crossed, glaring at the exit.  She could tell that he wanted to be out that door and back home.  She frowned, but he finally looked at her and said, "I don't care what your stupid kimono looks like."

Seiko sighed.  "I know...but I wanna look my best."

"Why?"  He demanded shortly.

"This will be my first New Years I spend with anyone."

He stared at her for a long time before looking away, his face flushed with what seemed to her as frustration.  "It looks good."

Seiko smiled.  "Okay!  I'll get it!"

 

After paying, they headed out of the mall.  Hibari questioned, "Is that all you wanted?"

Seiko nodded.  "Yeah.  My shoes and everything are fine.  Besides, I'm tired of trying clothes on."

"Most girls enjoy that kind of stuff."  He mentioned.

Seiko glared at him.  "What are you saying?"

"Nothing, Seiko."  Hibari retorted

They walked home in silence, but as soon as they got there, Pyro and Icil were on top of them.  Hibari gently pushed them away with his foot while Seiko skipped on inside.  She excitedly went into her bedroom and hung it up.  "You know what the best part is, Hiba-kun?"

"Hm?"  He asked, going into the kitchen to feed Icil and Pyro.  They circled around his feet.

Seiko leaned on the door frame and touched her face.  "I finally get these bandages off just in time for the party."

Hibari looked at her, but his eyes betrayed nothing.  He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch with a sigh.  "Yeah, that's great."

Seiko's gaze softened.  "I think it's exciting.  That means that soon my vision should be coming back."

Hibari looked back up at her.  "Did the doctor call you about the test?"

Seiko shook her head and Hibari gritted his teeth.  "It's been over a week.  This is rediculous."

Seiko sat on the edge of the couch.  "They're working as hard as they can.  I'm sure it takes time."

Suddenly, Hibari reached up and touched the bandages.  His fingers were soft as they grazed along her face and then brushed through the short strands of her hair.  Shorter than the rest where the cut stretched along.  "I don't have the patience to wait."

Seiko sighed and touched his hand.  "I know you don't..."

Both of them jumped when there was a crashing sound in the kitchen.  Suddenly both cats ran out of the kitchen and straight into the bedroom.  Seiko blinked and then her eyes widened.  "Wait."  She raced into the bedroom and to her horror, watched a black tail drop out the open window.  "Pyro!" 

She got to the window just before Icil launched out after him.  Hibari rushed in and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Pyro just jumped out the window."  Seiko stated, her eye wide with worry.

Hibari cursed under his breath and turned, racing out the door.  Seiko closed the bedroom door and set Icil down in the living room.  She checked the window to make sure that it was closed and ran out after him.

By the time Seiko had the door shut behind her, Hibari was already halfway around the block, running in the direction that Pyro had run off in.  She felt terrible, she had never let something like this happen before.

After a while of running, she lost sight of Hibari and started just calling around for Pyro on her own.  She hadn't counted how many blocks she'd gone, but at one point, she realized she was looking around the Sushi shops trash barrels.

She jumped when the back door opened.  Yamamoto blinked.  "Seiko?  What are you doing?"

Seiko raised her hands.  "I'm sorry!  I was looking for a little black cat.  Pyro ran off."

Yamamoto frowned.  "I'm sorry, do you want Leona and I to help?"

"If you want to.  You don't have to..."

Yamamoto smiled and threw the trashbag in the can and went back inside.  A moment later, Leona and Yamamoto both came out.  Leona frowned.  "Aren't you cold?"  She scoled as they walked, in between calling out for Pyro.

"I'm not too bad."  Seiko confessed.  She looked across the street.  For a moment, she could have sworn that she saw familiar brown and blonde streaks, but the next moment it was gone.

Leona looked at Seiko worriedly.  "Did you see him?"

"No...I thought I saw...Sophia-sama..."  Seiko stated, but she shook her head and kept walking.

Yamamoto was ducking under cars, looking for Pyro while Seiko and Leona were moving signs and taking turns with trash cans.

Several hours came and went.

Halfway through their search, Yamamoto had offered the idea of cooking somethign that smelled strongly and trying to lure him out.  They found several stray cats, but none of them were her little black kitten with the fiery brown eyes.

Leona touched Seiko's shoulder.  "I don't think we're going to find him tonight."

Seiko looked down, her bangs hiding her disappointment.  "Yeah.  I suppose you're right."

Leona pulled her into a hug.  "But don't worry, we'll find him."

Yamamoto rested his hands on Leona's shoulders.  "I'll have my dad keep an eye out.  I'll have him talk to our customers about it and keep the word spreading that we're looking for him."

Leona's eyes brightened.  "That's a great idea Yama-kun!"  She leaned up and softly kissed him.

Seiko's gaze softened as she watched the two of them.  They were so cute.  It was was so obvious to everyone around them just how in love they were.  Longing flooded through her and she remembered that somewhere, Hibari was still looking for Pyro, too.

"I gotta go.  Thanks for the help.."  Seiko said quickly, making her way on down the street.  A couple blocks later, her heart started to race when she saw Gokudera sitting on the sidewalk playing with a small black cat.  Seiko ran up.  "Is that...?"

The black cat turned and hissed at her, it's green eyes flashing before running off.  Gokudera stood up.  "That was weird..."

Seiko looked down.  Gokudera turned to her.  "What's wrong?"

"Pyro ran off.  We can't find him...but now I'm looking for Hiba-kun too."

Gokudera scoffed.  "Screw that guy.  But I'll help you look for the cat."

"Thanks but..."  Seiko started and then gasped when he held out a bag of cat nip.  She made a face.  "Gokudera...why did you have that on you?"

Gokudera blushed.  "I...I...no reason!  But watch!"  He walked around the block a few times.  By the time he came back, there was a hundred cats around him.  "Any of these yours?"  They were even climbing up his legs.

Seiko examined them.  There were a few black ones in the mix, but none that was her little Pyro.  She shook her head sadly.  "No..."

"Hey, what's going on?"  Tsuna asked, his eyes on all the cats.

Seiko frowned.  "Um...we're looking for Pyro."

Tsuna blinked.  "Pryo?"

"My cat.  He got out of the apartment."

Tsuna gasped.  "Oh no."

Seiko rubbed her arm.  "But we've been looking all day.  I'm just gonna find Hiba-kun and go home."

Tsuna frowned.  "I wish I could help you..."  He glanced at Gokudera and then back at her.  "We'll keep an eye out, too."

Seiko nodded and headed back home.  She was almost back to her street when she saw a small black fuzz ball playing with a car tire.  "Pyro..?"  She questioned the little cat.

It looked up at her with mahogany eyes and let out a wail.  Her eyes warmed.  "Oh Pyro!  There you are!"  She took one step forward and Pyro bolted down the street.  She gasped and ran after him.  "Stop! Don't run!"

She gasped and slid to a stop when Pyro hit a person's leg.  That person picked Pyro up.  It was a big bulky guy in a school uniform.  But it was Namimori.  Seiko smiled.  "Thank you.  He got away from me."  She reached out, wanting Pyro back in her arms.

The guy chuckled.  "Aw, did the little boy lose his pet kitty?"

Seiko gasped.  "I'm a girl!  And yes, now please hand him over!"  She ordered impatiently.

The guy whinced.  "Ew.  What's a girl doing with all those scars on her body?"

Anger was boiling up inside of her.  "It doesn't matter!  Give me back my cat!"

The guy raised Pyro over his head like he was going to throw him.  Pyro started to scream, his fur bristling.  Seiko screamed, "Let him go!"

The guy laughed.  "Okay!"  He went to throw Pyro.

Seiko grabbed his arm out of instict and kneed him as hard as she could in the gut.  The guy gasped and dropped to his knees.  Pyro squealed and landed right in Seiko's arms.  He pressed his fluffy little head to her chest and hid from the guys threatening them.

The guy got back up.  "You little brat.  I'll destroy you."  He grabbed her hair and raised his fist, ready to punch her.

Seiko closed her eyes and clutched Pyro so they couldn't hit him.  But she wasn't hit.

She opened her eyes to see that his fist was caught easily in someone else's hand.  Hibari was glaring at the guy.  "I'm in a bad mood."  Hibari informed coldly.  He swung his tonfa around with his other hand, hitting him right in the elbow, causing him to release Seiko and then spun, slamming the back of his tonfa into his face.  He flew back into his other buddies.  They picked up, screamed and ran for the hills.

Seiko stood back up, still clutching Pyro to her.  "Thank you, Hiba-kun."

"No matter how many times I tell you, I see that you're still going to continue to start fights."  He stated, his hand resting on the top of her head.

"I'm not a very good listener, sorry."  Seiko giggled.

Hibari glared.  "It's not funny."  He pulled Pyro from her arms and softly stroked the little one's head.  He leaned towards Seiko and gently pecked her lips.  "I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks again."  She told him.

They started back home and he noticed her shivering.  He worked off his jacket and rested it on top of her shoulders.  "You'll make yourself sick."

"And I won't be able to feed the kittens, right?"  Seiko laughed, slipping her arms in the sleeves.

"No.  I just don't want you to get sick."  He stated, not looking at her.

Seiko's eyes widened a bit and her heart started to race.  She leaned to him, looping her arms around his and her forehead came to place on his shoulder.

Hibari scoffed.  "Can't you walk on your own?"

"Yes.  But I don't want to."  Seiko stated.  Her face was flush as she replied.  "You're very warm, Hiba-kun."

Hibari stiffened awkwardly a moment and the hesitated to wrap his arm around her shoulders so that she was tucked to his side.

Once back in the apartment, Pyro and Icil snuggled up together while, like usual, Hibari doctored her wound.  But this time when she changed into her night clothes, she pulled Hibari's jacket back on, breathing it in.

A few minutes later, he walked in, yawning.  Seiko smiled warmly.  "Long day for you, huh?"  She asked.

Hibari nodded, looking like he was going to collapsed on the bed, but leaned the otherway and collapsed on her.  She gasped, stumbling back onto the bed.  His arms curled around her and held her tight.  She sighed, pressing her nose to his hair.

She climbed onto the bed, pulling him with her.  She rested back on the pillows, curling up against him.  "You are so lazy."

He pulled her closer, softly whispering, "I can't help I'm so tired after having to take care of you all day long."

Seiko smiled and gently kissed him.  "Fair enough."


	54. Resolutions

Seiko curled up when she woke up and yawned.  She rolled over, welcoming the strong, wonderful smell that she'd come to recognize as Hibari's.  She nuzzled closer, realizing it was the pillow.  She sat up and yawned again, her hands covered by the long length of the sleeves of his jacket as she rubbed her face.

She climbed out of bed and walked into the kitchen.  Now she was overwhelmed by the wonderful smell of breakfast.  Her stomach growled in reaction.  She saw him at the stove top and she fell against his back, yawning one more time.  "You're up early."

"And you're not."  He retorted to her.

Seiko smiled.  "Touche."  She leaned past him, looking at the skillet.  "What're you making?"  She asked, resting her cheek against his arm.

"Breakfast."  He retorted.

Seiko playfully pushed him.  "Smartass."

He let a smirk slip.  "Go feed the cats so they don't run off again."

Seiko glared.  "They ran off while there was still food in the bowl!"

"Maybe it was payback for not feeding them often enough."  He teased.

Seiko grumbled and went to the cabinet and filling up their bowl.  They came running into the kitchen.  As she stood up she felt two arms slip around her waist and pull her back to him.  He rested his chin on the top of her head.  "There's a reason I'm up so early."

Seiko shifted.  "Why's that?"

There was a long pause before he answered, "Your phone woke me up."

"Who called?"  Seiko questioned.

"Your doctor."  Hibari answered.

Seiko pulled away, turning to look at him.  She searched his eyes.  "What did he say?"

"Your test results came back."

"And?"  Seiko asked, her heart racing with anticipation.

"He wanted to talk to you about it.  He told you to come in around ten."  He answered, going back to the food so it didn't burn.

So it was finally the moment of truth.  She placed her hand over her left eye.  Now they would finally learn if her vision was ever going to return of if she'd stay blind.  She leaned on the counter as he fixed up a plate for her.  He added, "He said that you can go in without putting the bandages back on, but only if the sunlight isn't bothering your eye."

Seiko frowned.  "It doesn't hurt so much as it's just bothersome."

"Do you want to put the bandage back on?"  He asked.

Seiko got silverware for them and shook her head.  "If I keep using it as a crutch, I'll never wean myself back."

She saw the doubt in his eyes.  Both of them went quite, neither wanting to say what was on their mind.  There was a chance that she didn't have to worry about weaning herself from it.

There was a chance that she'd never be able to use it again.

 

The doctors office was dim like usual and it was refreshing against the bright light.  The doctor shook her hand and welcomed her back, asking how she'd been.

Seiko smiled and told him she'd been fine.

"Good to hear."  He stated, motioning for the two of them to sit down.  He turned on the small lamp next to him so that he can see the papers easier.  "So I got your test results back."

Seiko bit her tongue, resisting to say 'duh, that's why we're here'.

He sighed and Seiko tensed up, prepared for the worst.  "Good news or bad news first?"

"There's both?"  Seiko asked.

"Yes."  The doctor confessed.

"Let's get the bad over with."  Seiko informed.

The doctor leaned back in his chair and watched his clipboard as he explained.  "There's a lot of damage around the eye.  The scarring will probably never heal correctly.  Unfortunately, because of the circumstances and the location of the wound, it can't heal properly.  At one point in the future, most of the discoloring may go away, but you're probably going to have to deal with it for well over fifteen twenty years."

Seiko shrugged.  But did that mean she was getting her vision back or not?

"That being said, majority of the damage is superficial.  Our biggest concern was the cut that did damage to your retna.  But that has healed perfectly as expected.  I can't tell you when, but after it fully recovered, you should expect to regain your eyesight, good as new."

Seiko felt her heart thunder with excitement.  "Seriously?"

The doctor smiled at her excitement.   "Yes, I'm serious."  He grabbed a light and tipped her head up, flashing it over, seeing if there was any reaction in it.  "However, there is no telling how long it will take.  I can't predict the time it will take to heal."

"That's okay."  Seiko stated, gritting her teeth when the light caused pain.

"We could be talking a few years..."  He informed.

Seiko frowned.  "Really?"

"It just depends."  The doctor confessed.  "But if it makes you feel any better, the superficial cuts are healing surprisingly fast, so I have high hopes."

Seiko smiled.  "Good."

"I think that you can go ahead and leave the bandage on your eye off for now."  The doctor added.  "Just make sure you continue to apply that medicine.  If you get an infection, it's going to take even longer for your eye to heal."

"Kay."  Seiko sang with a bright smile.

 

Leona crossed her arms, looking at her kimono.  Yamamoto had gone downstairs to help his dad with the shop.  She ws pretty excited for the New Year's Party tomorrow, but her mind was still distracted.  She closed her eyes, that ring behind her eyelids every time.

She was starting to get a better picture of it each time.  A golden band with a design engraved into it.  In the engraving, tiny rubies wrapped around the band.  A single diamond was on top.  Leona had never seen the ring before in her entire life.  But something in her gut told her that it was important.

She walked downstairs to see Yamamoto still washing up dishes.  Leona leaned against the counter and smiled at him.

He looked back at her, lips curved up as he hip-bumped her.  "Yes?"

Leona leaned on him instead.  "Wanna go somewhere when you're done?"

Yamamoto nodded, warm smile breaking his lips again.  "Of course."

Leona giggled and trotted out into the shop, frowning when she saw it was pouring rain.  "When did that happen?"

Yamamoto walked out behind her.  "I dunno, I never noticed."

Leona leaned against his chest and kissed his jaw.  "We probably shouldn't go out then."

His arms came around her and tucked her close.  "Why not?  You like water, right?"

Leona giggled.  "Yes, I do.  But you don't want to get soaked, do you?"  Her eyes sparkled with an idea.  "Wait!"  She ran out the door and lifted her hands.  After a moment, a small blue aura appeared above her and the rain fanned out, making an invisible umbrella shape over her.  "Here, this is perfect."

Yamamoto walked out with her.  "Yeah, this is great."  He took her hand and pulled her in close.  "So where are you wanting to go?  Tomorrow is the last day of the year, so this is the last day we have to ourselves.  What would you like to do with it?"

"Come on..."  She told him, pulling him along.  The umbrella moved with them.

 

The rain was pouring.  Her clothes were soaked.  She was hurting and she was tired.  But she was finally there.  She'd found it after all this time.

Sophia looked up at the Vindice Prison.

She prayed to Mukuro to hold on.  She'd come up with a plan and she'd rescue him.

Even if it cost her her life.


	55. New Year's Spectacular!

Leona laughed as she messed with the long black strands of Seiko's hair.  "I don't know what to do with these."

"I'm not taking them out."  Seiko snapped at her.

Leona playfully tugged at them.  "Well if you won't willingly take them out, then I'll just rip them - "

"No!"  Seiko squeaked in a whine.

Leona laughed and hugged her friend tight.  "Don't worry, I wouldn't really do that."  She nuzzled her friend's hair.  "Now, where's your kimono?"

Seiko pointed to the closet.

Leona got up and went to the closet.  She gasped.  "It's so cute!"

Seiko blushed.  "Do you think so?"  She scooted to the edge of the bed while Leona laughed.

"Totally you."  Leona laughed, tossing it at her while she grabbed her own out of the bag she brought over to Seiko's apartment.  She pulled off her clothes and slipped into it.  "Here, tie me?"

Seiko tied the purple sash around Leona's blue kimono.  "I really like yours too.  It's a lot more formal than mine."

Leona laughed.  "Well, if your kimono was very formal than it just wouldn't look like you."

Seiko puffed her cheeks.  "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you have a childish composure that doesn't work for formal attire."  Leona teased, poking Seiko's nose.

Seiko glared in frustration.  "I can't wear childrens clothes all my life."

Leona laughed.  "Sorry, Seiko.  I can't imagine you in anything but kid's clothes."

Seiko turned on her friend and gripped her shoulders, acting like she was legitimately angry.  "Just for that, I'm going to start wearing formal clothes just to freak you out!"

Leona laughed so hard that her face was turning red and her eyes were starting to water.  "You're gonna scare the piss out of everyone else, too!"

Seiko whirled around.  "Shut up.  I'm done talking to you."

Leona never stopped laughing the whole time they were changing.  Finally ready to go, Leona turned towards Seiko with a smile.  "Here, I got something for you."

Seiko watched her as she pulled a clip from the pocket of her jeans.  She slipped it into her bangs, clipping them back into her shorter strands of hair.  It had a black flower on it that went perfectly with her hair and her kimono.  "There."

Seiko stared at her.  "Why...did you get that?"

Leona smiled.  "I think it works perfectly for you.   It's cute."  She stood back, crossing her arms into her sleeves.  "Besides, I figured you wouldn't go get any accessories for your kimono."

Seiko rolled her eyes.  "Are we ready to go or not?"

Leona nodded.  "Yes, we are."  She assured, playfully pushing Seiko out of the room.

Down in the living room and on out the door.  Both Yamamoto and Hibari were standing there awkwardly.  Yamamoto was in casual clothes, but still a little nicer than usual.  It was a green button up shirt, with another, loose light blue jacket over the top and faded blue jeans with a couple extra white belts.

Hibari was wearing a black jacket over the top of just a plain white shirt.  He also wore his usual black slacks and shoes.  He glared as them when they came out.  His glare lasted a little longer than usual.  "Took you two long enough."

Yamamoto laughed.  "Calm down.  Girls always need extra time."  He pulled Leona to him.  "Some stupid reason of thinking they need to make themselves look even better than they already do."

Leona blushed and glared at him but with a smile on her face. "We wanna impress our boys."  She winked back over at Seiko.

Seiko blushed and looked away.  "Well, let's go."

 

On the way to Tsuna's, Leona and Yamamoto exchanged laughs, but Seiko and Hibari stayed quiet for most of the time.  The only exception was whenever Leona pressed her into talking.  Closer to Tsuna's house, Seiko looked up at Hibari and whispered, "If you get too uncomfortable, let me know, okay?  Don't just walk out like you usually do."

Hibari didn't respond, just kept walking, stopping only to let Yamamoto and Leona walk into Tsuna's house first.

Inside, everyone was greeting each other and stating how nice each person looked.  For the most part, Seiko and Hibari stayed away from them.  They stayed in the corner of the room.  Hibari sat in silence while Seiko was curled up, leaning on him.  It was weird not having the bandages on and her scars exposed.

It was almost like Hibari could read her mind and he reached over, brushing his fingertips gently over the sensitive scars, his hand lingering as though covering it up.  She leaned to his touch, her eyes fluttering closed.  She could stay like that for the entire day if they let her.

A while into the party, Reborn made an announcement about how this year's New Year's Party was going to feature the family vs. famly comepition.

Tsuna questioned.  "Where is that at?"

"Here.  Tsuna's family vs. Dino's family."  Reborn clapped his hands.  "Dino will be here soon."

Leona looked at Reborn questioningly.  "Family's huh?"

Reborn nodded.  "All of Tsuna's family is here except for one."  He trotted to the center of the group.  "So this is the time for all of you to learn to work together."

Immediately, Gokudera, Ryohei, and a couple others started to argue about having to deal with each other.

Hibari grumbled.  "Playing such rediculous games...how stu-"

"It sounds kinda fun."  Seiko sang, turning to him.  "Don't you think?"

Hibari paused, watching her a moment before he smirked.  "Yes.  I suppose I can always bite the other team to death."

"That's the spirit!"  Leoana shouted, jumping over to them.  She picked both of them up by the wrists and pulled them to their feet.

Hibari glared and started to pull out a tonfa, but Seiko caught his arm and shook her head.  He relaxed, following the others outside where they would meet Dino.

Dino chuckled as he walked up.  "Hey Tsuna, your family is looking pretty good."  His eyes brushed over Hibari and Ryohei.  "So these are the ones I've yet to meet.  They look promising as well."  His eyes danced to where Seiko was clutching to Hibari's arm and  he smirked.

Instinctively, Hibari turned his body, hiding Seiko behind him.  "Another loser joins the ranks."  Hibari growled at Dino.

Dino grinned.  "Hm.  An untamed bronc, I see.  Ignorant mules should know where they belong."

Both of them glared at each other and Seiko could feel her skin crawl with the tension.  She tugged on Hibari's sleeve when she felt him tense, ready to attack.  Seiko whispered, "Please don't start a fight, this is supposed to be fun."

Hibari glanced at her and then glared at Dino, but he didn't say anything more.  When Hibari looked away from him, Seiko saw a knowing look pass through Dino's gaze as he turned and went to Reborn.  "Shall we start?"  Dino asked Reborn.

Reborn nodded and explained to all of them, "In this game, each family competes with enthusiasm for the new year.  However, the winner gets a fabulous prize.  The loser...pays ten million dollars to the winner."

Tsuna gaped.  "I don't have that kind of money!"

Reborn grinned.  "Then don't lose."

Hibari glared.  "What kind of rediculous games are you playing?"

Reborn giggled.  "You'll see.  I'll announce the competitions one at a time and whoever wants to volunteer, may."

The first competition was a drawing luck contest.  Ryohei anxiously volunteered.  He shoved his whole fist in the box and took out a huge handful.  But all of them were bad luck.

So the game started out with Team Tsuna: -17 to Team Dino: -1

The next competition was a game of badmitton.  Tsuna convinced Yamamoto to go up since he was the best athlete the team had.  At first the game was looking good, but then his baseball instincts kicked in and he hit it too hard and the birdie went flying to never be found again.

Leona laughed and hugged him tight.  "Good try, Yama-kun."

There was several more competitions and Team Tsuna was losing...badly.

Evening was closing in and it looked like there was no hope.  Hibari grumbled.  "Is this stupid game over with yet?"

Seiko looked up at him.  "Do you want to leave, Hiba-kun?"

He glared at her.  "I don't see any point in staying longer."

Reborn, from where he was sitting, said, "You don't want to be affiliated with the losing team, do you, Hibari?"

Hibari just glared at him too before answering, "I couldn't care less about this game."

Reborn frowned as he turned away and Seiko started to follow.

Leona watched them a minute and, seeing right through him, shouted, "Bye, Seiko-chan!  Maybe next time you can actually spend some time with your friends if pouty-pants will stay longer!"

Hibari glared sharply at her and for a moment, Seiko was scared he'd pull a tonfa on her.  But then his gaze moved back to her, softening and he stopped.  Hibari growled.  "hurry up with this competition."

Seiko's eyes widened with happiness.  "Really?"

Reborn hopped up.  "Okay!  We'll wipe the scores and bring this competition to a one match finale!"

Reborn explained that it would be an onigiri making contest.  Seiko and Leona both shouted excitedly.  Halfway through the first semester of school, they had learned that they shared a home ec class together and were learning to make onigiri.  Leona grinned.  "We can do this together!"

With the guidance of Leona and Seiko, they made what should have been a perfect batch of onigiri.  But what no one noticed was that Bianchi had started to help and her poison cooking turned it to a slop.  When offered up to Reborn, he proceded to pretend to be asleep.  Bianchi chased after Tsuna, ordering him to try her food.

He cried as he ran.

The contest ended in a draw.

Seiko was laughing when she felt a touch on her shoulder.  Hibari grumbled.  "Are you ready to leave yet?"

Seiko wiped the tear from her eye that had formed from laughing so hard.  "Yeah, let's go home."  She took a hold of his sleeve between two of her fingers as she walked with him.  "Sorry you had to put up with us so long.  But I appreciate it."

"Whatever..."  Hibari growled, guiding her down the street.

"Do you like onigiri, Hiba-kun?"  Seiko questioned.

Hibari arched a brow.  "Why?"

"Cause i have some at home that made in class for you."

"Why for me?"  Hibari asked.

"Cause it's New Years!"

He sighed, "Yeah, I like onigiri."

 

Dino walked up to Reborn.  "You're in deep thought.  What's on your mind?"

Reborn crossed his arms.  "Are you familiar with the term finding a diamond in the stone?"

Dino blinked.  "Well yes.  That's a common american term, isn't it?"

"Do you know what it means?" 

"I can guess."  Dino stated.

"It means, literally, happening upon something that looks ordinary, and finding out that it's priceless and irreplaceable."

"Okay?"  Dino asked.

"Well, we've found a couple diamons in our stone."  Reborn explained.

Dino watched him.  "What do you mean?"

Reborn tipped his head towards Leona.  "Did you notice it?"

There was a long silence.  Dino confessed, "I thought it was my imagination."

"No."

Dino stood up straighter.  "She's got an aura about her.  It's calming...much like the rain.  It's like she can meld souls to get along with each other.  Whenever she spoke to any of the members of either team, they all smiled, even if they had been completely frustrated before."

"She's the tranquility that Tsuna's family needs."  Reborn explained.

Dino looked at Reborn curiously.  "What makes you say that?"

"Tsuna's family is made up of many people with opposing mentalities.  Left on their own, they would rip each other apart.  We need Leona to watch over them.  She can hold them together."

"And what's this other diamond you speak of?"

Reborn looked in the direction that Seiko and Hibari left.  "Seiko."

Dino paused.  "What do you think of that girl?"

Reborn smirked.  "I was going to ask you the same thing."

Dino crossed his arms.  "Well...she's certainly unique.  She's gotta be something else if she can tame a guy like that."

"She's the opposite of Leona.  Where Leona can calm and bring together, Seiko can fire up and push forward.  She has an innocent passion that no one can ignore.  And she our only attachment to the cloud."

Dino smirked.  "Cloud huh?  Good choice."  He pursed his lips.  "But...that girl.  She's so terribly weak."

"Is she?"  Reborn asked.

"Yes."  Dino told him.  "Several instances, I've seen her fight.  Her moves are sporadic and weak.  The only advantage she has in any fight is her speed...and her ability to take a punch and keep on fighting."

"That's the only way she ever knew how to fight.  She was alway taught to fight like her life depended on it, but she had to be sure the other person was never hurt.  Therefore, kick and scream until she's dead, while taking every hit she can."

Dino frowned.

"With a little training...I think we're going to be surprised."  Reborn commented.  He grinned.  "And then there's our secret weapon."

"Secret weapon, huh?"

Reborn nodded.  "Somewhere in the mountains, she's undergoing her own training.  She's learning.  She's leaving her mark on the world.  Who knows...ten years from now...she may be making her own tracks in history."

"What are you saying?"  Dino asked, making a face.

Reborn chuckled.  "You'll see..."


	56. Total Demolition

"You're annoying."

"Then why do you continue to spend time with me?"

Hibari and Seiko were walking through town.  It had been about three weeks since New Years and it was the coldest day of the season by far.  The Discipline committee had gone in to school this Sunday because another club was putting on a performance for a fundraiser.  The prefects ran it for them, for a portion of the money of course.

Seiko and insisted on going with them.  Hibari had agreed only on the condition that she wore several layers of clothes and too jackets.  She accused him of being a worrywort.  To get her to shut up, he bought her a carmel hot chocolate on their way back to the apartment.  She slowly sipped as she walked.

Hibari grumbled.  "You didn't really have to come with."

"Yes I did."  Seiko giggled.  "It was better than staying home alone."

Hibari sighed, frustrated.  "But you'll catch a cold out here."

"I've got more on than you!"  She shouted, walking backwards now.  "You should worry a little less about me and a little more about you.  All you're wearing is an extra jacket.  You've still got your uniform on!"

"Because I was working a prefect.  It's necessary to wear the proper attire."  Hibari retorted.

"Well I was helping, but I wasn't wearing my school uniform."  Seiko retorted.

"Your school uniform wouldn't have been warm enough." 

"See!  Now you're a hypocrite."

"Shut up."

He lunged forward suddenly and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his body.  She gasped, almost spilling the hot chocolate.  She gasped, "What are you - "

She felt the breeze of a passing car and looked over her shoulder, seeing that she had just been about to step off the curb and into the street.  She felt Hibari's stiff body let out a relieved sigh.  He turned her around and pushed her slowly across the street.  "Stop talking and watch where you're going."

"Sorry."  She whimpered.  A little bit later, she asked, "Can we just take your bike next time?"

"I would've if I'd known you were following us."  He stated coolly.

Seiko laughed but he glared at her and she went back to looking forward.  They were just passing the shopping center when she noticed Tsuna and the group was sitting at a table outside the front, getting some snacks.  Seiko waved over at them.  "Hey!"

Hibari glared and rolled his eyes.  "Really."

Leona and Yamamoto were the first to turn around.  Leona waved back excitedly.  "Seiko-chan!  Good afternoon!  Hi, Hibari-san!"

Hibari didn't respond but Seiko trotted over to them.  Leona gave her a big hug as soon as she got there.  "How have you been enjoying your break?  Sad that it's almost over?"

Seiko nodded.  "But I'm excited for all the warm weather coming in the next couple weeks."

"Yeah, we can take off these stupid winter jackets."  Leona and Seiko laughed.

Kyoko walked over to them as well.  "We should pick a day and all go shopping for some new clothes."  Seiko and Leona happily agreed.

Yamamoto leaned his elbow on Hibari's shoulder.  "Look, aren't they cute?  Why don't you two hang out with us?"

Hibari closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.  "If you don't get off of me, I will bite you to death."

Yamamoto withdrew.  "Jeez, take it easy."

Tsuna cautiously added, "Y-yeah...H-hibari-san.  Wh-why don't we all just...t-try to spend time t-together?"

"I don't associate in groups."  He stated adamently.

"We'll grow on you, you'll see."  Yamamoto laughed.

Leona had put Seiko in a head lock and was mussing her hair.  "You should hang out with us more, kiddo!"

"Don't call me a kid."  Seiko ordered, trying to wiggle free.

Through the glass at the front of the store they were standing by, there was a person that walked by on the other side.  She was distinct with long brown and blonde hair.  Both Seiko and Leona stopped.

Leona's eyes widened.  "Was that...?"

Seiko shook her head.  "Sophia!"  She shouted, pulling away and running into the store.

Leona gasped and ran after her, "Seiko, wait!"

Hibari jumped.  "What are they - "

He and Yamamoto both started toward the store when the other side of the building suddenly erupted in an explosion.  A guy flew through the air and landed on Tsuna, throwing them both across the ground and into a wall.

Yamamoto gasped.  "What the hell?"  He and the others looked up to see a guy standing on a roof, he had long silver hair and was shouting.

"Give it back you shrimp!  Or I'll rip you to pieces!"

Gokudera growled from where he was standing.  "Who is this asshole?"

Yamamoto kept looking back towards where the girls ran off.  "I dunno..."

As the guy with long hair jumped down to attack again, Gokudera and Yamamoto cut him off.

Tsuna sat up.  "Who is this guy?  Why is he attacking you?"  Tsuna asked the boy who hit him.

The boy had a deathspiration flame on his forehead.  "Sorry...i didn't mean to drag you into this..."

 

Seiko and Leona fought through the crowd that was running away from the collapsing building.  It was hard to weave through the crowd and still keep track of that famliiar shape.

Leona gasped and pulled Seiko to a stop just as a couple rafters fell in front of them.  Seiko panted.  "She was on the other side!"

Leona grumbled and looked around.  "That girl...wouldn't run straight into this..."  She gasped when at the top of the pile, they saw Sophia.  She smirked, turned, and ran away.

Both of the girls climbed up the rubble pile after her.  Leona shouted, "Why are you running away!?"

They tumbled over the other side, dropping down in front of where Sophia stood amongst the rubble of the building.  Sophia chuckled.

Leona glared up at her.  "What's so funny?"

"The two of you are such pathetic creatures."

Seiko turned her crimson gaze up and her eyes widened.  What was before them was not Sophia.  It was an illusion.  In Sophia's left eye was a red orb with a symbol.  Seiko gasped, "Mukuro...?"

Leona looked at Seiko and then at Sophia.  "Why...are you....?"

Sophia kneeled down.  "I'm disappointed.  I thought that the three of you were friends?"

"We are!"  Seiko snapped, grabbing her collar.  "It's you I have the problem with!"

Sophia grabbed her wrists and pushed her back, tossing her down against the rubble.  "I don't care if you have a problem with me or not.  You have a job, and it's to take care of your friends.  So far, you're doing a shitty-ass job of it."

"Sophia cares about you!  I can't control if she chases after you to save you!"

"The least you can do is go after her and help her."

Leona and Seiko exchanged a look.  Seiko started to say something when all of a sudden the wall that was still standing came down in a huge gust of smoke.  Both girls screamed as the guy with long silver hair raised his sword in rage.  The boy from before was on the ground.  As soon as the long haired guy saw them, he changed targets and went for them.

In the same moment, an arm was around Seiko.  She pressed herself automatically to Hibari who was holding up his tonfa.  In front of her, Leona was protected by Yamamoto who stopped Squallo's sword with his own.

Squallo laughed.  "You don't even know a sword technique."  He grinned devilishly.  "Think you can stop me?"  Suddenly little explosives went off the sword, around Yamamoto.

Leona screamed, "Yamamoto!"

Another wave of smoke went up and Squallo lunged at them, ready to strike Leona.  Seiko gasped and tried to go to her friend buy Hibari pushed her back.  He grabbed the back of Leona's shirt and tossed her back as well, stopping Squallo's sword just in time with his tonfas.

Squallo snarled.  "I hate brats like you."

Leona looked down and saw that they were about to step on yamamoto's unconcious form.   She gasped and brushed her hand over her thigh and then threw it outward.  A stream of water flew past her and slammed into Squallo, throwing him back out of the building.  She crawled over to Yamamoto and lifted him up.  "Yama-kun, are you okay?"  Her heart was going crazy in her chest.

Hibari looked at Leona and stepped around them, back after Squallo.  Seiko gasped, following him. 

Squallo got back up.  "That little bitch...I'll rip her to fucking pieces!"  When he went to dive back in through the wall, Hibari cut him off with a tonfa to the face.

"Not if I bite you to death, first."  Hibari snarled, going to hit him again.  But Squallo regained his footing too soon and spun around, kicking Hibari in the side and throwing him across the pavilion area.

Seiko gasped and ran after him.  "Hiba-kun!"  She gasped when Squallo grabbed her by the collar and pulled her back.

"What's this little shrimp?"

Seiko screamed, "Let me go!"

Squallo laughed as she struggled.  "Aw, are you gonna try to beat me up, too?"

Seiko tried to kick him, but she was too short to reach.

Hibari slowly got back to his feet.  There was a leathal look in his eyes.  "Put her down...right now..."

Squallo held a sword up to Seiko's neck.  "Or what...?"

Hibari's teeth gritted and his fists shook with rage.  "You...!"

Seiko gasped when suddenly the sword was thrown out of Squallo's hand.  He looked over right a a whip slashed him across the face and he let go of Seiko and fell back.

Dino rewound his whip and chuckled.  "Looks like you guys could use some back up."

Squallo glared.  "Outnumbered huh?"  He held up the box he had taken from the boy.  "That's alright, all I need is this."

Dino gasped.  "No!  You can't have those!"

Squallo threw his sword down and smoke screen erupted around all of them.  When it cleared, Squallo was gone.

Seiko rushed over to Hibari.  "Hiba-kun, are you okay?"

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.  "Dammit..."  He dropped to his knees, still not letting her go.

Seiko stared at him worriedly.  "Hiba-kun...?"

His body trembled against hers, but he kept his face pressed to her neck so she couldn't read his expression.   She touched his hair and looked at Dino.

Who was that?  And how could one person defeat them all so easily?


	57. Dying Elements

In the hospital, Leona and Seiko were with Tsuna, Reborn, and Dino, watching over who they learned to be Basil.  The other guys, sore about their loss, were on their own somewhere outside of the hospital.

Leona asked.  "So who is this guy?"

"He's not a vongola like us."  Reborn stated.  "But he is on our side."

"What do you mean by our side?"  Seiko pressed.

Dino leaned on the wall, crossing his arms.  "The rings have appeared and that means that battle for the successor has begun."

"Battle for successor?"  Seiko repeated curiously.

Reborn jumped up on the side of the bed.  "The successor of the Vongola family.  Right now, Tsuna isn't the only one in line.  There is also another person named Xanxus."

"What do the rings have to do with it?"  Leona asked.

Reborn explained.  "There's a tradition within the Vongola family that the rings decide who is to be the rightful heir of the family.  Xanxus wants them to lay claim for himself."

Seiko frowned.  "So now he has them?"  She asked.

Dino laughed and held up a box.  "Nope.  He got the decoy."

Leona frowned and Seiko could see that in his eyes, there was something painful there.  She hesitantly asked, "Can I see the rings?"

Dino nodded, opening up the box for her.  Leona's eyes glazed over each one, but disappointment came into her expression.  "Okay..."

Seiko started to say something to Leona, but another thought crossed her mind.  "Who was that guy who attacked us today?"

"That was Superbi Squallo."  Dino answered.  "He's one of Xanxus's fighters."

"He was so strong..."  Seiko whispered, looking down.

"I know."  Dino and Reborn exchanged a look.

Reborn stated, "I think it's about time you girls get back home."

It was Seiko and Leona's turn to exchange a look.

 

Outside of the hospital, Seiko turned when she heard her name being called.  Dino trotted up to her.  "Can I walk you home?"

"Sure."  Seiko sighed, stuffing her hands in her pockets and walking along.

Dino casually asked, "So...that guy freak you out?"

Seiko nodded solemnly.  "I'm guessing Xanxus is stronger than that?"

"Much stronger."  Dino confessed.  "I've never met him in person, but I've heard he's unstopable."

"Great..."  Seiko sighed.

Dino stopped.  "Seiko, there's something I need to tell you."

Seiko stopped and looked back at him.  It was getting late and she could only hope that Hibari was back at the apartment.  But in case he wasn't, she needed to have time to search for him.  He was so upset, she didn't want to risk leaving him on his own for the evening.  "What?" She asked, a little sharper than intended.

"Fighting Mukuro was hard for you, wasn't it?"  Dino asked.

Seiko stayed quiet while he continued, "I know that it was, both physically and mentally."  Like everyone else, a sympathetic look came to his gaze when he looked at the left side of her face.  "But...this challenge coming up is going to be much harder.  Even more dangerous, too."  Dino stated, stepping towards her.  "Don't push yourself.  Sometimes it's okay to just step back and let someone else fight."

Her mind instantly went to Hibari and her gaze softened.  She smiled and shook her head.  "I can't do that.  I'm tired of being weak.  I'm going to do something right this time.  I want to protect those that I care about."

"Yes, but -"

"I may be weak.  I know that."  Seiko confessed.  "But I'm strong in other ways.  Who knows, Dino-san...?  Maybe I'll surprise you."

Dino couldn't help but smile.  He put his hands in his jacket pockets.  "Just don't die.  If you do, then my job gets a lot harder."

"What do you mean?"  Seiko asked.

"Eh...I've got some tough training ahead."  He stated, walking away.

Seiko headed for her apartment.  She opened the door, let out a relieved sigh when she saw Hibari leaning on the window sill.  She rushed up to him.  "Hiba-kun!  How are you feeling?"

As soon as she was close to him, he threw his arm around her and pulled her to him, holding her tight, his face in her hair.  She didn't move, but softly asked, "Are you okay?"

He pulled back.  "I'm fine."

Seiko frowned.  "You don't seem fine."

His gaze went back out the window.  He rested a hand on top of her head and mussed her hair.  "Go sleep.  It's been a long day."

She gently tugged on his shirt.  "It has been for you, too.  Come on."

For some reason, it seemed like he wanted to resist, but then he sucked it up and whispered softly, "I'll be there in a minute."

Seiko smiled and went on to the bedroom.  "Okay."

 

Leona was just about back to Yamamoto's house when she felt someone behind her.  She looked back, her eyes widening to see Dino and Reborn.  "What's wrong?"  Leona asked.  She wanted to get on inside and check on Yamamoto.

"We need to discuss something with you."  Dino informed.

"We have a job for you."  Reborn added, with a smile.

Leona's eyes narrowed.  "I don't know what you're up too, but I've got my own stuff I need to do.  Whatever you wanna drag me into - "

"It's necessary for your goal as well."  Reborn calmly stated.

"We know the elements are dying."  Dino informed.

Leona pursed her lips.

"May we talk now?"  Reborn asked.

Leona nodded.  She motioned for them to follow her.  She didn't want to discuss something like this in front of Yamamoto so she took it down the street to a small food shack.  As soon as they were sitting down, Leona asked, "So...what do you know about the elements?"

Dino looked at Reborn to see what he was allowed to say.  Reborn sat on the table between them.  "Go ahead.  We have no reason to keep secrets."

"We know that the elements are controlled through guardians."  Dino stated.  "And each element is guarded by a specific family.  Yours being the element of water.  Your sister family is the element of ice.  All of the elements have sisters, besides the element of fire."

Leona watched them curiously.

"The element of fire stands alone."  Reborn explained.  "But has always been at war with the central pillars of the elements: Water, Earth, Electricity, and Air."

Leona nodded, listening.  Dino picked back up.  "According to your blood, you, Seiko, and Sophia shouldn't get along at all."

"I know."

"But you do."  Reborn informed.  "Do you know why?"

Leona went solid.  She closed her eyes.  She remembered fighting with her mother.  She remembered all the threats that passed between them.  All the nights her mother sang to her the death of the world would burn in fire.  "No.  I don't."

Reborn grinned.  "The winds of change are blowing.  If you're not careful, you'll be caught in a hurricane."

Leona started to ask Reborn what he was talking about, but Dino carried on.  "But the elements, for generations have been getting weaker.  We know that they're slowly dying out.  The strength of the gems hasn't been what it should be."

Leona touched her hand to her thigh, memories flooding back again.  Dino added, "The spirits of the elements are leaving the guardianship of the gems."

Leona closed her eyes tight.  "There's no way to stop it."

"You know that's not true."  Reborn grinned.  "What else would you and Sophia being working together for?"

Leona stared at the counter.  "The idea is so far-fetched."

"But you believe it with all your heart."  Reborn contemplated.  "I know that you do."

Leona's hands clenched into fists.  "The idea...that we could bring all the families together is just stupid!  They'll never get along."

"Stop lying."  Reborn ordered.

Dino finished up with, "You know that there is a person capable of it.  That's why as soon as you knew that there was a chance Cressa could be killed, the two of you made it your priority to protect Seiko."

Leona went quiet for the longest time.  Then suddenly she said, "But Seiko is so weak. She could never survive initiation."

"That's why we're here."  Reborn informed.  "We need Seiko's abilities as well as yours and Sophia's."

Leona stared at him, waiting to find out where he was going with this conversation.  Reborn smiled.  "We need you to train Seiko.  Turn her into the Guardian of Fire she is meant to be."

Leona stood up.  "Even if I was able to train her as the Guardian of Fire, when initiation comes to fruition, there's no way she could ever survive having to accept the element into her soul.  The spirit is too dangerous.  Even I still have troubles with it."  She turned and headed for the door.

Dino smiled.  "So you're not even willing to try?"

Leona paused, her hand on the door.  "Now, I never said that, did I?"


	58. Distribution

The doorbell was the most obnoxious way to wake up the following morning.  Seiko groaned and rolled over, trying to ignore it, but it was insistent.  She jumped a bit when she felt Hibari sit up and climb out of bed.  He angrily marched out of the room and to the door.

A bit later, he came back into the bedroom and Seiko sat up.  "Who was it?"

"No one.  Just this."  He tossed two envelopes in her lap.  One with her name on it, one with his.

Seiko stared blankly at them for the longest time and then stared up at him.  "What are these?  Invitations?"

Hibari gave her the most blank, unamused look ever.  "I don't know.  It's your mail."

She waved the other envelope in his face.  "Nu-uh.  This one is yours."

He stood back up and glared at her over his shoulder.  "It came to your door."

"Probably because you're always here!"

"Who else knows that beside you?"  He challenged.  They both went quiet, staring at each other.  Seiko just sighed and started prying it open while Hibari went into the kitchen to cook some breakfast. She followed, focusing on the paper in her hands while watching him lean down and feed the cats while waiting on the skillet to heat up.  He nonchalantly asked, “What do you want?  Bacon?”

“I don’t care.”  She answered, not looking away from the envelope she just tore open. 

Hibari stopped and glared at her.  “What are you doing?”

Seiko gasped happily.  “Aw, it’s a ring.”  She slipped it on her finger and stared at it.  “But it’s…like half of a ring.”

“What does it matter?  Just throw it away.”  He demanded.

Seiko gasped, “Why?”  She picked up his envelope.  “I don’t want to.”  Leaning over to him, she teased, “Besides, it looks like whoever gave me one, also gave you one, too.”

His eyes narrowed and looked away.  “Who cares?”

Seiko sighed.  “Hey, at least someone was nice enough to give me a ring.”  She pulled his out as well and took his hand.  “Here put yours o-“

He ripped his hand away from her and glared more.  “Put that ring on me and I will bite you to death.”

She stared blankly for a moment, in complete shock.  Then she glared at him.  “What is your problem?  It’s just a ring.  You don’t have to snap at me like that.”

“If you didn’t care so much about one stupid little ring – “ He started through gritted teeth.

Seiko jumped off the counter.  “You know what?  Forget it.  Fine.  I’m going for a walk.”  She went into the bedroom and ripped off  his jacket as well as her night clothes.  She pulled on a red tank top with a black t-shirt over it as well as a black skirt with red leggings.  She yanked on her boots and stormed for the front door.

Hibari didn’t even look at her as he threatened, “I’m already cooking so you’ll have to eat cold food when you come back.”

“I don’t care!” Seiko snapped, opening the door.

He glanced at her and shouted, “If you go out in that, you’ll catch a co-“  The door slammed on him.  He turned back to the food, mumbling to himself.  He looked down when he heard a mewl.  Pyro was staring up at him with his big red eyes.  Hibari glared.  “What?”

He let out another meow.  Hibari turned the skillet off.  “I know she’s mad.”  He sighed as Icil started swatting at his pants.  “And alone…”  He punched the refrigerator and cursed, grabbing his shoes as quick as he could.

 

Yamamoto walked up to Leona who was relaxing on the couch, eating a bowl of cereal.  She smiled up at him as he sat back down.  “Who was it?”

He grinned and held out the ring that he pried out of the envelope.  “I got one of those fancy rings from the other day.”

Leona’s eyes widened a bit.  “Really? Wh-why?”

Yamamoto shrugged.  “Dunno.  But it’s not like I can wear it.  But it was nice of whoever brought it to me.”

Leona set the bowl down and sat up.  “I bet Tsuna and Reborn have something to do with it.  We can go ask them.”

Yamamoto nodded.  “Good idea.”  He told her, but then fell across her lap, hugging her close.  “Or we could just lay around here and cuddle all day.”

Leona laughed and held him close.  “I could go with that.”  She teased but then pushed him up.  “Come on, Yama-kun, let’s go find out.”

Yamamoto got up, taking both hers and his bowl to the kitchen sink.  He then raced back, pulling her up from the couch.  “Let’s go!”  At the door, he grabbed their jackets and slipped a cap on her head.  Then he took her hand and pulled her out of the house.

Halfway down the street to Tsuna’s house, they were stopped when they saw Dino walking up, but he was with Seiko.  Unable to resist, Leona rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Seiko’s little body.  She nuzzled her head and squealed, “Good morning Seiko-sama!”

Yamamoto and Dino both laughed at them.  But then Dino looked at them and asked, “So what are you doing up and around so early?”

Yamamoto looked at him and explained, “We got this mysterious ring in the mail and – “

“Thought so.” Dino laughed.  “Why don’t you come with us?  I told a couple other people to meet us somewhere so I could explain it all at once.”

Leona nodded.  “Sounds like a great idea.”  She attached to Yamamoto’s arm.  The place that Dino took them was the Nakayama Surgical unit.  Leona questioned, “Why here?”

Dino chuckled. “It’s right in the middle of everyone.”  He walked in.  Gokudera was already there and shortly after their arrival, Tsuna and reborn showed up as well.

When Tsuna came in, Gokudera and Yamamoto asked about why they had gotten the rings.  Reborn was the one to announce, “Because they were chosen.  There are seven Vongola rings in all.  And to have meaning, each must be held by a member of the family.”

Tsuna gaped.  “Then…”

“The rings have been sent to the family members deemed most able to defend the next Vongola boss, Tsunayoshi Sawada.”  Reborn explained.

Tsuna shrieked.  “You’re kidding!  You sent out all the rings!?”

“That’s right.”  Dino informed, chuckling.  “It’s Vongola tradition.”

Seiko blinked in surprise and gripped Dino’s sleeve, looking up at him.  “If that’s the case…then why did I get a ring?”

Tsuna stared at her in awe.  “Wha…?  Seiko-chan?  You got one?”  He turned on Reborn.  “Why!?  Why would you do that!?”

Dino’s gaze softened on her.  “What, do you think you can’t do it?”

“I…”  She looked down but Reborn started explaining again.

“The members of the first generation Vongola family’s inner circle bequeathed to future generations in order to certify succession.  Since the rings have been handed down to the seven members of the inner circle of each generation.”

“So then, mine means…” Tsuna’s shoulders slumped.  “Aw man…”

Reborn smirked and said, “Gokudera received the storm ring, Yamamoto received the rain ring, and Seiko received the lightning ring.”

Tsuna touched her shoulder and insisted, “Seiko-chan, there’s no reason you should feel obligated to get yourself involved with this.  I’m sure you don’t want to after the accident with Mukuro.”

Seiko started to say something when Reborn started back up again, “Each first generation Vongola family member was unique.  Each ring reflected their distinctive traits.  The first generation boss was said to be like the sky, a firmament overall, and possessed of deep understanding and tolerance.  His ring, was the sky ring.  Those in his inner circle, his lieutenants, were likened to various weather conditions. The passing shower that cleanses – the Rain ring, the drifting cloud, unbounded – the Cloud ring, the fog that creeps and obscures – the Mist ring, the gale that blows with fury – the Storm ring, the orb that brings the day – the Sun ring, and the bolts that pierce the air – the Lightning ring.  The rings alone grant nothing, so – “

“Enough!” Tsuna shouted, waving his hands.  “This ring and I don’t suit each other at all!”

Seiko couldn’t help staring at the ring on her finger.  So, the purpose of this ring was to help strengthen Tsuna’s family.  Her gaze softened as she realized that Hibari was also a part of it.  She could protect him as well as the rest of her friends by using the ring as a goal.  It could become her source of strength. 

This was a challenge and an opportunity all-in-one for her.

Yamamoto shook his head and started to hand the ring back.  “I’m sorry, but I can’t wear rings as a baseball player.”

Leona laughed and tried to take it.  “I can!”

Tsuna’s eyes brightened with the chance that Yamamoto was siding with him on the whole ordeal.  “Yeah and these things also mark us as targets for that long-haired guy!”

Then the atmosphere suddenly changed.  Everyone stared at him intensely before their gazes went back down to the rings.  Tsuna gulped, noticing it as well.  “See my point?  It’s not worth the risk…”

Yamamoto saw Leona try to get the ring from his hand and pulled it away from her playfully.  He asked Tsuna, “So he’s coming back?  When?”

“Around ten days…?”  Tsuna looked at them dejectedly.

Yamamoto laughed suddenly, “Well then, I’m going to keep it.”  He wrapped his arm around Leona’s shoulders, “You see, I don’t like being beaten…ever!”

At that moment, Gokudera raced for the door.  “Just watch boss!  In ten days, I’m going to be a man worthy of this ring!”

Dino laughed and told Tsuna, “Way to go, you go them into the spirit to train!”

He shook his head and looked down.  “I didn’t mean to do that…”

Dino’s gaze turned on Seiko who was giggling.  “Those two will have to find trainers, as well as the other family members. However yours, Seiko, is right here.”

Seiko followed the direction of his hand and saw that he was motioning towards Leona. Her eyes widened.  “Leona-chan? Y-you’re my trainer?”

She giggled and nodded.  “I wasn’t too sure about it, but Reborn and Dino talked me into it.”

Seiko grinned.  “Good!  Well, I look forward to training with you.”

Leona winked, jumping when Ryohei came rushing in.  They made a big scene about his trainer being Colonello who just happened to show up when Reborn introduced him.  Once they were gone and all the noise was gone, Dino mentioned, “Well I guess I need to go meet up with my student.”

“Your student?”  Seiko questioned, eyes wide.  “Who are you training?”

Dino chuckled.  “I think you know him pretty well.”

She gasped, “You’re training Hibari-kun!?”

Tsuna let out another scream.  “Hibari-san has a ring, too!?  Th-then who’s the last one?”

Reborn chuckled.  “You’ll see.”

Dino looked at Seiko.  “Think you can take me to him?”

Seiko nodded and started to skip off when Leona grabbed her collar.  “Wait just a minute, missy.  I’m your trainer.  Enjoy your last night of freedom for the next ten days because I have to whip you into shape.”

Seiko gave her a fun, but secretly scared smile.  “Oh, okay.”

Leona laughed and let her go.  “Be at the bridge to Nami-park by 9am, okay?  Oh, and wear something comfy and easy to move in.”

When Seiko nodded, she chased after Dino down the front flight of stairs.  She felt a chill as soon at the doors were opened and she gripped her arms.  “It’s getting colder.”

“Why don’t you have a jacket?”  Dino asked, starting to take off his.

Seiko almost answered when she was shocked to see Hibari leaning on his bike on the side of the street.  His arms were crossed and half of his face buried in a gray scarf over his usual school uniform.  Her eyes softened when she saw on the seat was her jacket and another scarf.  “Hibari-kun…how long have you been…?”

He glared at her but then looked away as though not noticing her.  Suddenly she felt really bad.  She hadn’t had any intention of being gone so long without letting him know, but Dino had confronted her about the rings and her curiosity pushed her to follow.

Dino cleared his throat and broke the awkward silence.  He held his hand out, trotting down the stairs.  “Hi, Hibari.  We’ve met a few times, but never properly introduced ourselves.  I’m Dino Cavallone, a friend of Reborn and Tsuna’s.”

His glare intensified but he made no move to return the gesture.  “I don’t care.”

Dino’s eyebrow twitched.  “You sure are an untamed bronc, huh?  Well, I – “

He looked right past Dino and at Seiko.  “Are you ready to go home?”

Seiko nodded and started forward when Dino cut them both off.  “Listen, Hibari, I need to discuss those rings with you.”

He stiffened and glared at Dino.  His voice was as cold as ice when he asked, “So you’re the one responsible for giving us the rings?”  He gritted his teeth and pulled out his tonfas.  “I don’t want anything to do with those stupid rings.”

“But, Hibari-kun!” Seiko started when Dino put his arm up.

Softly, Dino suggested, “Why don’t you go on home, Seiko-chan?  It looks like I’m going to have to train him the hard way.”

Hibari’s eyes narrowed.  “Don’t tell her what to do.”

“Why not?  You do all the time.”  Dino retorted.

Hibari’s teeth were gritted hard together but Dino flicked his head.  “Let’s take this to the roof.”  He turned and walked back into the building.  Hibari followed him, brushing his hand through Seiko’s hair as he walked by her.  But the very next moment, she was alone in the cold.

 

Leona followed Yamamoto into his dad’s sushi shop and asked him, “Do you know who you’re going to have train you?”

He nodded and pointed to his dad before leaning on the counter.  “Hey pops?”

“Yeah, Takeshi?”  He asked.

“I was wondering…if you could train me in swordsmanship?”  Yamamoto asked.

Leona smiled, watching his father’s eyes brighten up and he jumped around the counter, immediately discussing the art of it with his son.

She couldn’t help but think to herself that between a trainer and a student, there had to be some intense connection there.  Something stronger than the bond of friendship.  Almost…like a belief in the student to make the impossible, possible.  Her thoughts drifted to Sophia and Seiko.  The dreams they both subconsciously shared.  Back when Seiko fought with all her strength against her dad and failed, in her heart, Leona had yearned to help her dear friend.

Because she knew that she could. 

Because she knew that Seiko could make a difference.  Leona’s hand clenched into a fist.  And she was going to help her friend every step of the way.  Tomorrow, she would have to explain everything to Seiko.  Once the training began, it was going to be hard steep climb.

Part of her worried if Seiko would be strong enough in time.  If her premonition of swords and knives and lightning told her anything, then there were troubled times ahead.

…lighting…

If Seiko was the lightning ring, then was it about her again?

Hopefully, this premonition had a better ending than her last one.


	59. Finding Their Focus

Seiko showed up just like she was told to. She was wearing a red mid-drift tank top with regular blue short-sweats. Leona was waiting for her with her hip rested against the rail of the bridge. There was a smile on her lips, but it betrayed what her eyes were trying to hide. “Good morning, Leona-sama.” 

She smiled back. “Morning. Glad you didn't forget.”

Seiko yawned, leaning on the rail beside her. “Forget? Are you kidding? I've been worrying about this all night.”

Leona arched a brow, seeing right through her words. “About this? Or about what all of this means; or more specifically what is going on with Dino and Hibari right now?”

Seiko smirked and then commented, “I find it unsettling that you know me so well already. We haven't been friends that long.”

A sigh escaped the white-haired girl. She tucked a couple strands behind her ear before whispering, “Seiko-sama, there's a lot we need to talk about today. One thing, you're going to find a little creepy, but I can almost predict your behavior just because I know your family.”

Seiko's eyes widened. “Huh? But I'm not - “

“Actually, I don't know if we'll get to any physical training today. You've been left in the dark about all of this stone-related nonsence for too long. I want to spend most of today talking. But you have to promise me to ask absolutely any question on your mind. I want you to understand everything I tell you.”

Seiko nodded stiffly. “Okay.”

Leona patted her back. “Let's go get a smoothie.”

  
  


Dino blocked yet another hit from Hibari and glared at him. “How long are you going to continue being such a narrow-minded selfish brat?”

Hibari glared at him and snapped, “For as long as I wish.”

Dino rolled his eyes. “Typical answer from a brat.”

Hibari took another swing, but Dino put enough distance between the two of them that the hit just barely grazed his cheek. “You have no idea what's going on, but you're just obsessed with proving your strength and fighting everyone. Don't you have any idea how much you hurt other people acting like this? Like Seiko-chan?”

This time, Hibari landed a hit with the tonfa straight to his nose. Dino fell backwards, coughing and glared up at him. Hibari coldly snarled, “Don't even talk about her. We're none of your damn business.”

Dino smirked as realization washed over him. “Oh, I see...” He got back up. “Now I think I'm starting to get it. Get you. Come on, let's keep fighting.”

The two of them locked in combat once again, despite the fact their bodies were covered in bruises and injuries.

  
  


Seiko sipped and her chocolate banana shake. For about five minutes now, Leona was just fiddling with her hands and condiments on the table; the expression on her face said that she was thinking hard about how to start this conversation. Seiko was about to give up on her when she took in a deep breath, “The elements are dying.”

Seiko arched a brow. “What elements?”

Leona slammed her head down on the table. “Seiko-sama...really? They told you nothing?”

Seiko shook her head. “My father just always told me that the family had to survive in order to keep balance in the world.”

Leona fanned her fingers out. “That's because we hold the power of the world in our hands, Seiko-sama.” As she spoke, water droplets collected into her palm and formed a ball of water. Seiko stared with wide eyes, but Leona plunged into her story. “Once upon a time, when the elements created this world, spirits had control of them. But the strengths of the spirits were out of balance and they often fought against each other. In order to prevent a war between the elements that would destroy our world, they divided themselves up in stones. These stones embedded themselves in the skin of select families. Now, every generation of these families, are born with a stone. These items are driven by the power of the souls they're given to. They can be used however the wielder chooses, but at some point, the wielder must come into a pact with the spirit in their stone. This process is called initiation. It's a very difficult time. A lot of people avoid the initiation by just not using the power of their stone.”

“That's an option?” Seiko asked.

Leona nodded. “It's also up to the wielder when they want to submit to initiation.” She took a big sip of her coffee and continued. “Anyway...the point of this whole discussion is to make you aware of the fact that you can use a power that is buried in your stone. Because it's driven by the strength of your soul, do you know what it means that your stone is so close to your heart?”

Seiko shook her head. Leona leaned forward and answered, “It means that your stone is incredibly powerful. More so than your fathers.”

Seiko jumped, “Where is his?”

“The back of his head.” Leona answered quickly, continuing on, “The fact is...once you learn to use your powers...you will be stronger than your father.”

Seiko looked away. “I'm sorry. That's just not possible.”

“You don't have to believe me right now.” Leona sat back. “But the elements...they react to each other.” Her gaze turned to Seiko sharply. “When we first met, did you notice a weird sensation between us?”

Seiko nodded. “Oh yeah. It knocked me off of my feet a few times.”

“We're designed to hate each other.” Leona explained. “Our stones naturally repel one another to the point that it's supposed to be uncomfortable for us to be close. Same with Sophia. But we're not. That's because the elements are slowly getting weaker. We have no idea why. But at the rate their going, there will be nothing left to them in a few generations. Once they disappear, this is dramatic, but there's a chance that the world will cease with them. I mean, we're talking about what controls earthquakes, volcanoes, weather, orbits...things that effect the way we all live.”

“So what? You know how to stop it?”

Leona's eyes rested on her knowingly. Seiko spit out her smoothie. “Is that a joke!? What do I have to do with it?”

“Why do you think that Sophia and I can stand to be near you?” Leona asked. “In fact, we're drawn to you. All of my premonitions recently have related to you somehow. I'm not crazy and I can vouch for Sophia's crazy plan. I think you can bring the strength of the elements back.”

“You're nuts.” Seiko snapped. “I'm just a little girl. I'm not fighter and I'm not smart! I'm not a leader! I have no idea what I'm doing!”

“But you have passion.” Leona stated. “Passion is the driving force of fire. You can bring out all of the strength in your stone. You can do what no one else can.”

“Take a punch?”

Leona glared at her. “I'm being serious here! Everything is lining up for you! You can't just look over it as coincidence!” Her gaze softened. “Seiko...you are strong. You just...have to let yourself be.”

Seiko relaxed. “So what...you're supposed to teach me how to be strong?”

“I'm going to teach you to fight like a Himura.”

Seiko sighed. For a while, Leona prattled on about the families and the elements and the importance of everything, but she didn't hear any of it. From the very beginning, all she could think about was Hibari. Was he okay? He hadn't come back to her apartment last night.

So what? It's not like he was obligated to come visit her. Just because she'd asked him to stay with her doesn't mean that he wanted to, nor did it mean that he would. Why would he want to come stay the night with her anyway?

“This is pointless.” Leona said suddenly and Seiko jumped. She stood up. “Go. Dino said he was going to be training Hibari at the school. Go appease yourself and then come back. There's an old volleyball court behind the park. We'll use that for training.”

“Why?” Seiko asked.

“Ask questions when you come back. Because nothing you ask me is going to be as important as what you're focusing on now.” Leona snapped.

Seiko didn't bother arguing. She left, heading towards Namimori High. She felt bad, but Leona was definitely right about her being preoccupied. She just wanted to know that he was okay.

She stopped for just a moment as she trotted by Take Sushi. With a smile, she ordered enough for two people and then rushed on to the school. She checked the typical places she figured they might be before making her way to the roof.

  
  


Hibari spit some blood out of his mouth from Dino's last hit. “Your attacks don't even hurt.”

Both of them were panting, but Dino smirked, “Oh yeah? Is that why you're barely able to stand?” He drew his whip back in. “It's a shame. If you're barely able to stand up to me, then what are you going to do when that guy comes back for the rings? You're not getting any stronger. What happens when he rings Seiko's neck?”

Hibari's eyes widened and then he all but snarled at Dino. “Shut up, herbivore. You know nothing.”

Dino's eyes narrowed. “It's not about what I do or don't know. What I'm saying is - “

The door to the roof opened and both of them looked over. Seiko shyly walked out, a small bag in her hands. Seeing her cute little face, Dino's whole face brightened. “Seiko-chan! What are you doing here?”

But her crimson eyes took in their beaten and broken bodies and her gaze softened with worry. “Oh. I see you two are training hard.”

“Training?” Hibari demanded. “I'm just biting this guy to death.”

“Shouldn't you be with Leona?” Dino asked.

She shook her head. “She let me have a lunch break.” Seiko informed, starting towards Hibari. “I brought you some food. I thought you might be a little hungry? It's your favorite...”

Hibari straightened up. “No. I'm not hungry. I'm busy. I'll eat later.”

Dino, at first, had been thinking how cute Seiko was, bringing him food. But now suddenly he was lit with rage. He was so blind to his own feelings and consumed with nothing but fighting. He didn't even understand what he was fighting for. Well, that could be easily changed.

Seiko just laughed it off. “Right, of course you're too busy. Silly me. Um...I'll leave it in my fridge. If you want to...swing by or something...”

She was about to go through the door when Dino grabbed her arm and threw her down on the ground. She gasped and shouted, “Dino! What are you doing!?”

When he didn't say anything but grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to the edge of the roof, she felt a horrible tremor of fear shoot through her. “Stop it!” She screamed. “Let me go! Dino please! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”

Her gaze went right over the edge of the roof and down the ground four or five stories below. She had never been so scared in her life. Tears were pricking her eyes as she tried to get him to let go – but if he did, she'd fall.

Hibari was glaring at him with pure hatred. “You...!”

Dino returned the glare, but this one was even more cold than his. “Come stop me. Save her. Or can't you?”

Hibari froze, his tonfas trembling in his hands.

“Do you understand yet!? What I've been trying to show you this whole time!?” Dino was screaming with rage. “You're obsessed with fighting your own battles that you forget about her! You get so consumed in your own problems and your own vendettas that you're going to fail the moment they get a hold of her! You're not strong enough to save her...because you weren't strong enough to protect her.”

Seiko trembled. “D-Dino-san?” When she looked back down, she saw several of Dino's subordinates waiting right where she would fall. She wasn't really in any danger. Dino had planned this.

Dino coldly told Hibari. “If was I was really your enemy, she would be dead. What do you think of that?”

Seiko shouted at Dino. “That's taking it to far! Dino! How could you!?”

He didn't even look at her, just kept his glare trained on Hibari. Seiko watched as, to her horror, Hibari dropped his tonfas and fell to his knees. He whispered, “Just...set her down. Please.”

Dino slowly pulled her away from the edge and let her go. She turned and slapped him across the face, tears tracing her cheeks. “How could you?” She rushed over to Hibari and went to wrap her arms around him, but he held his hand out, keeping her from getting close. “Hibari-kun?”

He asked, without looking at her. “What is this training you two were talking about?”

“For the rings...?” Seiko started but Dino flicked a hand.

He said, “I haven't gotten a chance to explain yet. The kid won't stop fighting.”

“Hibari-kun, please let Dino explain. The rings are important!” She tried to tell him but he glared up at Dino suddenly.

“The rings don't matter to me.” He stated, getting to his feet. “You're telling me that you can train me to be strong enough to protect Seiko from now on?”

Her eyes widened and blush spread across her cheeks. “Hibari-kun?”

Dino chuckled. “I'll make you so strong that no one will ever lay a hand on her again. Even me.”

Hibari raised his tonfa and glared. “Then prepare yourself. Because I'm going to bite you to death.”

  
  


Seiko waited for a while, watching the two of them fight. She couldn't stay long because it made her sick with the fury in which they hit each other. Every wound she saw on his skin made her want to pull him in her arms and protect him.

As she walked back towards the park to meet with Leona, she realized that in order to protect him, she needed the training Leona was talking about. Becoming strong wasn't a matter of if she could do it or not, she had to.

She had to become a warrior capable of protecting her friends...and her family.


	60. Training Commenses

Seiko looked up as she walked onto the volleyball court. Leona watched her closely for a moment before smirking and propping a hand on her hip. “You look much more prepared than you did a few hours ago. I'm guessing you appeased yourself.”

Seiko clenched her hands into fists. “My opinion hasn't changed. I'm not ready. But I will be.”

Leona's eyes widened a bit as Seiko finished with, “I'll become the leader of my family...I will protect everyone!”

Her gaze softened upon her crimson haired friend. “I'm glad to hear it, Seiko-sama.” She then ran straight at Seiko with no hesitation. At first she was caught off guard, but when Leona threw a punch, to her surprise, Seiko blocked it with her arm. But she had to use both to hold herself up against Leona's attack. Leona smirked, “Your instincts are superb...but...you'll never win a fight if you can't keep a hand open.” To prove her point, Leona pulled her other arm back and landed a full-throttle punch to Seiko's face, sending her flying across the court and into the grass. “First point; Me.”

Seiko wiped the blood from her lip and glared up at her friend. “Oh I see. We're playing a game.”

“When you beat me, then you can consider your training official.” Leona informed, not giving Seiko enough time to ready herself again and going in for more hits. For the rest of the day, Leona took her time beating her to a slow pulp while also teaching her what she needed to know to protect her friends.

By the time the sun was setting, she felt she made a lot of progress, but Leona was barely harmed, just panting. Seiko was against the tree, a bloody pulp and ready to call it quits. Leona laughed and held her hand out to her friend. “You're doing great. Better than I expected actually. Seiko-sama, you have so much spirit.”

Seiko's eyes softened. “Leona...I haven't thanked you yet. You're taking time out of your life to bother with a kid like me. You're patient and you're kind. Thank you so much.”

Leona just laughed. “You remind me a lot of my brother. You're both always excited and ready to go. Seeing you guys...I don't ever want to see that spirit go out. So I can't let you guys fail. But we're done for today. Go home and rest. We'll wait to start until ten or so tomorrow. I'll text you. Just focus on resting up.”

“Okay.” Seiko gave her a warm smile before hugging her and taking off back home.

  
  


Dino put several paces between him and Hibari. “Aren't you done yet? You've been swinging those damn tonfas for hours straight now. You're not going anywhere just blindly attacking like you are.”

Hibari just glared more, going in again, but Dino stopped the tonfa with his whip. Dino growled, “Enough. We're done here for today. We'll pick back up tomorrow.” When Hibari stepped back, Dino added, “And tomorrow, I'm going to explain the rings to y - “

Hibari took another swing, knocking him back on his ass. Dino glared up at him. “Resorting to hitting me with my guard down?”

“It's your fault for dropping it. Besides...that was for what you did to Seiko.”

“Fair enough.” Dino stated, getting back to his feet. “I didn't want to do that. And I was hoping it would focus you on something else. But I don't see any change in you at all. You're still just fighting to beat me to a pulp.” As Dino spoke, Hibari was already walking away, disregarding his words completely.

  
  


Seiko was heading home when a tall shaggy looking guy walked up to her. He was dressed strangely – he had a miner's helmet on. He looked her up and down before asking, “Are you Seiko Himura?”

Seiko tipped her head a bit. “Do I know you?”

“You're friends with my son, Tsuna?”

Seiko jumped and she laughed, “Oh you're Tsuna's dad? Nice to meet you. H-how did you know who I was though?”

“Red hair, red eyes.” He chuckled. “Kinda unique.”

Seiko blushed of embarrassment. “Of course. Duh. So, did you need something?”

“Thought maybe I could talk you into visiting with Tsuna for a bit. To talk about those rings.”

“You know about them?”

He nodded, but walked away, waving and saying, “He's just outside of the city with Reborn. By the waterfall.”

She decided to appease the old man and found her way to the waterfall, despite already shivering from the oncoming cold. Just like he said, she found Tsuna and Reborn at the bottom of the fall around a campfire. She slid down and waved, trotting up. “Yo, Tsuna!”

Tsuna gasped, lunging to his feet. “S-seiko-chan? What are you doing here? And...you're all covered with bruises...what happened?”

Seiko just sat down beside the fire with them. “I'm okay. Leona's been training me all day.”

“Why...?” Tsuna's gaze softened and he sat beside her. “Seiko-chan, you can't really plan to help fight that guy?”

“Why not? He attacked me too ya know?”

“You...” He looked down, at the fire. “Your injuries...from Mukuro...Dino-san said that this guy was even stronger.”

All of a sudden, Seiko was feeling dejected. “These injuries are from a mistake! I'm never going to get any better or grow stronger if all any of you see are these stupid scars! I can be strong!”

“Are you sure?” Reborn challenged. “You were telling Leona earlier that you were never going to be anything more than you were.”

Seiko gasped and looked down, staring at the fire as well. “That's what I thought this morning. But...with what Dino did...I realized that I could do whatever I want. I just needed to want it bad enough.”

Tsuna shook his head. “No Seiko-chan! I refuse!”

She stared with wide eyes. “Refuse what?”

“You're only going to get hurt! This has nothing to do with you. I don't want you fighting a pointless battle. I feel bad enough for what happened with Mukuro, and I - “

“Just forget it. I need to do this for me...” She whispered. “Please just let me...”

Tsuna sighed.

For a while they sat there in silence. Finally, Tsuna mumbled, “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that...”

Seiko looked at him and touched his hand. “We can all get stronger together, Tsuna-kun.”

Tsuna stared at her for a long time before blushing and smiling. “You're right, Seiko-chan. Thanks.”

She got up, trying to hide her goosebumps. “Train hard, okay?”

When Tsuna nodded, she headed back home. By the time she got back to her apartment door, the sun had set beyond the horizon. She opened the door, but jumped with surprise when she saw Hibari already in the kitchen, cooking. She stared for a moment, letting the door close by itself.

When Hibari turned around and saw her, his eyes went wide. The two of them just stood there, no exchange of greetings – nothing. He looked away before walking away from her, saying, “Dinner is almost ready. Did you eat?”

“No. It's been...kind of busy since I left earlier.” Seiko admitted, upset. She really didn't want them bickering right now. She just wanted peace. She blushed when she realized that more than anything she wanted to be in his arms.

She trotted over to the oven and saw that he was making chicken teryiaki. She smiled and started to trot happily back to the bedroom to change out of her nasty clothes when she nearly ran into Hibari. He was standing there with a wet clothe in his hand.

“You're a mess.” He told her, glaring.

She started to protest when he brushed the clothe against her face. His hand lingered longer than it should on her scars but his touch alone had her skin crawling and the pain and soreness left her body. Her eyes focused on his, seeing how his usually stiff expression disappeared into one of tenderness and affection.

Before she knew it, her hand was on his and she pressed her cheek to the palm of his hand. He seemed a little shocked at her actions, but didn't pull away. Seiko's cheeks flushed and she inaudibly said, “Sorry...it felt good...”

For a long time, Hibari hesitated to say, “Go ahead and eat. I'll run you some bath water so you can relax.”

She snatched his hand back in hers before he could pull away. He looked at her questioningly. Seiko breathed, “Are you... upset... about... yesterday?”

“About what?” He asked, genuinely confused.

“You waited all that time for me after I just walked out on you and I didn't tell you anything. I felt really bad and then you didn't come home and I was worried that you might - “ Like always, Hibari had gone to lean in and kiss her to get her to stop ranting. But this time, he'd stopped. Looked at her with shock written on his face.

“You were worried?”

Seiko looked down, shame reddening her cheeks. “Part of me was concerned that your fight with Dino got out of hand. But...even worse...I thought maybe you'd gone back to your own home. And I'm so mad for getting upset about it because it's your house and here is not but when you're not here it's... cold.”

He didn't respond at first. But then he just simply said, “There's another blanket in the closet.”

She couldn't look at his face. “I know.” She took a deep breath. “I'll go get a bowl of chicken.” When she went to go back to the kitchen, he caught her arm.

His bangs had fallen over his eyes again and he said, “I...didn't leave the school. I was exhausted and fell asleep there. If...I had left there last night. I...would've come here. I... would rather be here... anyway.”

“Cause of the cats?” Seiko teased, humorlessly.

“No...cause of...” There was a long silence. “...you.”

Seiko felt her heart racing in her chest and she didn't know what to do about it all of a sudden. When she forced herself to look back at him, she couldn't see his eyes at all. But his face was angled downward. She hesitantly took a step towards him and he finally said something else, “...I don't know why you've insisted on fighting with Leona all of a sudden...”

Seiko's gaze softened and she asked, “So Dino didn't explain the rings to you yet?” She noticed that the one he'd been given was on his finger.

This time, Hibari just turned away. “Go eat while I run your water.”

Seiko sighed, climbing up on the couch with her bowl of chicken after she got it. For a few minutes, she ate in silence until Hibari sat down beside her, eating as well. It was awkward between them, even the cats just sat under the coffee table and stared. But she couldn't hold back any longer and Seiko softly asked, “Did you really mean it? That you come here because I'm here?”

“You don't piss me off.” Hibari stated plainly between a couple bites of food.

Seiko scooted over and rested her head against his shoulder while she ate. “I'm glad. Because I really like you being here.”

A flush came to his cheeks and he turned his head quickly away. “I didn't say that I liked being here! I just said I didn't hate it.”

“That's enough for me.” Seiko whispered, nuzzling against his shoulder, enjoying the soft smell of him that was on his shirt.

He pushed her off suddenly. “If you're done eating, go take a bath.”

She sighed and did as she was ordered. The bathroom was already warm because of the water and then sitting in the tub felt like sheer heaven. She let out a long yawn and relaxed against the edge. But as she enjoyed it, she started feeling guilty because she never did any nice things for Hibari, even though he was always helping her and taking care of her. When she was done, wrapped a towel around herself and leaned out of the door. He wasn't on the couch anymore. She went to the bedroom to change but paused before pushing the door open, “Hiba-kun?”

“Yeah?” He asked.

She went ahead and pushed it on open, seeing that he was in fact changing. He didn't have a shirt but his back was to her, but it still made her blush. She looked quickly away and mumbled, “You're changing, sorry.”

“It's fine.” He growled. “Your clothes are on the edge of the bed.”

Seiko had the towel knotted over where the gem rested on her sternum and she was glad. It was starting to glow a bright red as her heart rate picked up. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at the floor, slowly pulling her clothes on. She hadn't thought that her developing feelings for him would make things so awkward. As much as she wanted him here, maybe it was better for him to stay at his own house?

She jumped when just after she pulled her long shirt on, a jacket was wrapped tight around her. She blushed a bit when she realized it was more than just a jacket. The arms that placed it there were still around her. Hibari held her tight for the longest time, she even thought he might not let her go. He casually asked, “Will you bring my lunch again tomorrow?”

Seiko's face turned bright red. “I can...”

“Thank you...” He mumbled, falling asleep against her back, just like that. Seiko stared in awe at him, but then smiled, climbing back onto the bed. She slipped her arms into the jacket and cuddled up against his side, pulling the blankets over them. She kissed his nose softly before laying her head down and falling asleep beside him.


	61. The Right Path Ahead

Leona and Yamamoto were sitting at the table eating breakfast when his dad came flying in with a shinai and hit Yamamoto upside of the head. He flew right out of his chair. Leona just stared with wide eyes as his father proceeded to attack him repeatedly while shouting, “Never let your guard down!!”

After several hits, Yamamoto jumped back up and shouted at his dad, “Not while I'm eating! And in front of Leona! Jeez!”

His dad seriously responded with, “As a student of mine, you will be constantly learning. An enemy will not stop and wait for you to finish breakfast. Nor will he allow you to pick up your weapon and defend yourself.” He struck him down again.

Leona couldn't help giggling. “I see your training is going well, Yama-kun.”

Yamamoto pushed his dad back and said, “He's been like this since I asked him to train me yesterday. He won't stop. He even woke me up late last night, attacking me with that darn stick.” But despite his complaints, he was still laughing. Just like always.

“He's training you very seriously.” Leona told him reassuringly. She took a long sip of her drink and sighed. “Well, with that said, I need to go meet Seiko. You two...take it easy.”

Mr. Takeshi started laughing. “Easy? If I went easy on him, then how would he learn anything?” When Yamamoto started to turn and protest, Takeshi hit him right in the face with the shinai. “See? He still needs a lot of work.”

Leona shook her head but just laughed it off. “Whatever, see you guys later.” She gave Yamamoto a swift peck on the cheek before trotting out of the house and back to the court where she and Seiko had been training for two days now.

Just like before, the spirited little red-head was ready to start.

  
  


Well into the morning, Leona sat back against the post where the old net used to be. When Seiko collapsed next to her, Leona handed her a water bottle. “Here. Drink up while we rest. Get a snack or something. You need a break.”

Seiko looked over at her. Leona was covered with cuts and bruises but there were a few burn marks lining Seiko's hands and arms. Her shirt, too, was singed in places. She sat up and laughed, “Hey, I got a few hits in on you, too. So you should give me some credit.”

“Oh yeah, you gave me a run for my money, but we have a long way to go. Wanna go grab a bite? Or did you bring something to eat?”

Seiko shook her head and then a blush tickled her cheeks. “Um...I actually...promised Hiba-kun...that I would...”

“Ooohh...” Leona laughed and patted her shoulders. “Go. Feed your man.”

“Actually, can I have a moment with the two of you?”

Seiko looked up, surprised to see Tsuna's father walking towards them again. He sat down in front of the two of them with a smile and asked, “How are you? The two of you look like you've been working hard.”

They both nodded and Seiko smiled, “She's teaching me to use my hidden strength.”

“Is that so?” He turned to Leona. “How is she coming along?”

For a moment, Leona looked at Seiko first before turning back to him. “Incredibly well, actually. I knew that we'd be pushing it to get everything I wanted to teach her in these ten days, but we're flying through everything I had planned.”

“That's good to hear. I was concerned how brittle our little Seiko was.”

Seiko gasped and glared at him. “I am not brittle!”

“No, no. And you're proving it.” Iemitsu sighed and added. “But can I get another favor? I know I keep asking you to do stuff like this, but...Gokudera doesn't have a tutor yet. Would you be willing to go check up on him? He's in the forest on the east side out town. I've seen a lot of explosions. I don't know if he's training himself, or if he's mad, or maybe even gotten into a fight.”

Leona nodded. “Yeah, we'll go check it out, no problem!”

  
  


To their horror, when they showed up where the explosions were going off, they found Gokudera barely conscious lying on the ground and bleeding. They both shouted to him and rushed to help. Quickly, Leona brushed her hand over her thigh and then pressed them to Gokudera's chest. It looked like a small mist descended from her palms and Gokudera's wounds started healing.

He groaned and sat up, Leona demanding, “What were you doing?”

“I'm trying to master a technique...Shamal won't train me.” He confessed with a heavy sigh.

“You're going to get yourself killed!” Seiko insisted.

Gokudera looked away shamefully. “So what? If I can't even do this, then what good am I to the boss anyway?”

Seiko grabbed his collar, gasping and shouting, “How can you say that? Do you have any idea how Tsuna would feel if he heard you say that! Don't you know your own boss at all?”

Leona watched with wide eyes as Seiko started spouting words about friendship and people's true feelings. She went on to call Gokudera an idiot for thinking his duties as a subordinate were more important than his duty as a friend to stand by Tsuna's side.

“I know Tsuna well enough.” Seiko confessed, “That he'd be very torn up if you died. Your life is very important Gokudera.”

He smacked his face and rubbed it all over with a groan. “How could I not see? No wonder Shamal wouldn't train me. I was so oblivious to the most important thing of all. If I give my life up, then who's going to protect the boss?” He looked between Leona and Seiko. “Thank you girls for helping me. Now I know what I need to do.”

Shortly later, when the girls were about to leave, Dr. Shamal showed up, announcing that he'd had a change of heart and would train Gokudera.

Leona watched Seiko's happy frame skipping towards the park when she stopped. Leona opened her mouth, “Hey, Seiko-sama - “

She whirled on her and gasped, “Oh my gosh! I forgot! Hibari-kun is probably still waiting on his lunch!”

  
  


Dino plucked a couple bites from his bento box and asked through a mouthful of food, “Why don't you eat anything, Kyoya?”

Hibari glared at him. In his eyes, it was clear that he was saying that he was not allowed to call him by that name. He just crossed his arm, leaning on the fence and waiting.

Dino took another bite. “Waiting on your girlfriend?”

In response, Hibari went for his tonfa out of rage, but he reined himself in. But he made no response.

“I don't think she's coming.” Dino was halfway done with his food, now just taunting Hibari. “She probably forgot about you. I mean, its late afternoon.”

This time, Hibari did pick up his tonfa. But his voice was ice cold when he grumbled, “You never shut up, do you? I'm going to rip out your vocal cords.”

“Oh, scary.” Dino teased, standing up. “Says the guy who's barely been able to put a scratch on me, thus far. When are you going to drop the act and start being just straight-forward with what's important to you. So far, you're just making yourself look like an idiot.”

The grin that came to Hibari's lips was not one of humor. “I am really sick of you. You annoy me.”

“I get under your skin, Kyoya? Why is that? Cause you know I'm right?” Dino challenged again, but Hibari was already swinging. He was able to move easily between the blows, evading every attack that came at him and in the end, he was able to perry around him and wrap him up in his whip. He pushed Hibari to the ground and put a foot on his back. “If you don't drop this attitude of yours, you're never going to become an efficient member of Tsuna's family.”

“Of what!?” Hibari snarled, flipping over and kicking Dino's legs out from under him. As he stumbled back, Hibari charged with his tonfas ready. “It doesn't matter, I'll kill you right now - !”

Both of the boys froze when the tonfa was stopped in mid air. There was a small slender hand around his wrist and fist clenched on the front of his sweater. A small bob of red hair was pressed his chest, shouting, “What are you doing!? This isn't training!”

Both of the boys were staring in awe at the girl between them. Leona watched from the fence, where an orb of water was holding her up.

Seiko pulled away, but the bag of food she had brought was on the ground at her feet, spilling. She was near tears as she shouted, “Why are you trying to hurt him? He's done nothing but help us!” She turned on Dino, just as frustrated with him. “And why do you egg him on? You're trying to push all the buttons you know will make him violent. This isn't what this was supposed to be about!”

“Seiko-chan.” Dino got to his feet and went to touch her shoulder when Hibari pulled her sharply back suddenly, his eyes were ablaze with rage on him.

Clearly, Leona could already see what was going on. But an oblivious Seiko shouted, “Hibari-kun!? What's gotten into you?”

Hibari and Dino locked glares, neither of them even acknowledging Seiko anymore. Dino smirked. “You're just like a little brat, huh? Everything is all about you and what you want.”

Hibari snarled. “I will bite you to death!”

Dino waved his arms out. “I'm still waiting. You haven't hurt me yet!”

Hibari went in for a kill shot, but Seiko grabbed his shirt and yanked him back. “That's enough! Both of you! What is the matter with both of you!?”

Dino put his hands in his hoodie pockets and looked away. “I'm trying to get through that thick skull of his. I don't know what his problem is.”

Seiko clenched her hands into fists. “Well this isn't how you're supposed to train! What kind of teacher are you? You're getting the same attitude with your student that - “

“Again with this training thing.” Hibari snapped. “What are you talking about?”

“You're being trained.” Dino growled. “That's what I've been trying to tell you.”

Seiko looked at Dino with disbelief. “It's been two days and you still haven't explained it to him?”

“Why are you training me?” Hibari demanded sharply.

“For the same reason Seiko is being trained by Leona!” Dino finally blew up. “I've been trying to get under your skin so you'd start thinking instead of fighting. But you're a one trick pony! All you care about is swinging those tonfas around like an idiot!”

But Hibari was looking at Seiko now. She barely caught it when he whispered, “Why are you covered in burns?”

When Dino looked at her again, his eyes widened. “Seiko-chan...?”

She looked at her right arm where most of the damage was. “They're not that bad. They don't even hurt actually. But that's not what we're talking about.” She gripped Hibari's sleeve and softly asked, “Will you please let Dino explain what's going on? I know that it's not what you care about...but it's really important to me.”

Reluctantly, Hibari told Dino, “You have five minutes.”

 

Leona couldn't help but smile. There was something magical in the way Seiko was able to bring people back to the right path. In just one day, she was able to set Gokudera straight, and then help Dino and Hibari, two people who should never get along, to at least meet on common ground. For once, she was starting to see a leader that all of the Elemental families were waiting for. The hero that they needed...

She was on her way.

Suddenly, there was a bone stabbing pain in her chest and her vision went cloudy. The water disappeared from under her and she fell into the bushes just below where she had been. Her whole body was shaking and a very brief flash of a very brief moment in time danced across her vision.

It was two people. She didn't recognize them. In this brief picture though, for some reason she was suddenly washed over with sadness and pain. She felt like someone had stolen the only important possession in all her life and destroyed it. It emotionally hurt so bad that her body was physically convulsing from the pain.

When she sat up, the only thing she could think about was running home and finding Yamamoto and thanking whatever power held over them that he was alive.

What on earth made her suddenly feel this way? Who were those people? Was this a premonition again?

Did it have something to do with that red ring? 

 

The image kept flashing back into her head, haunting her.  

Why was it so sad? 


	62. The Given Orders

Seiko left Hibari and Dino alone to talk about the rings and what was going on. While they did that, she took a detour before seeing Leona again. She ended up running into Tsuna and Basil on the side of the road.

Tsuna was happy at first, but then he looked at her arm and asked, “Seiko-chan...you've been training too much. You're all beat up.”

She laughed. “I'm okay! It's nothing, really. I barely feel anything.”

Tsuna frowned. “Really...?”

Seiko started to say something else when Iemitsu showed up. His face was serious. “The Varia are back. They know now that their rings were fakes.”

Seiko gasped. “But I thought...? Ten days...!”

“They'll be trying to pick off the rings as soon as possible. All of you need to be prepared.” Iemitsu informed before walking away. “I'm going to go tell the others.

Seiko sighed once he was gone and commented, “Actually, I noticed I was being followed...”

Tsuna her both looked past her and up at the building behind them. On the roof was a huge man in all black with several weapons strung across his back. In a cool voice, he asked, “Which of you has the lightning ring?”

Seiko smirked and started forward. “That would be - “

Tsuna cut her off, putting an arm up. “Why do you want to know?”

“That's my target.” His eyes narrowed.

“Then let's dance!” Seiko shouted, starting forward.

A couple shouts cut them off as Gokudera and Yamamoto rushed up as well. Gokudera panted, “What's going on? Iemitsu said the Varia might be...” He looked up at the guy on the rooftop and his eyes narrowed.

Yamamoto just barely glanced at Seiko. “Where's Leona?”

“The park. She should be - “ Seiko started but a familiar giggle appeared.

“Wrong. I've been right here the whole time.” Leona informed, a wash of water lifting up from the street and forming into the usual Leona. Her eyes were pointed on the guy on the roof. “Seiko it's too soon for you to fight this guy. You're not ready.”

“What?” Seiko glared at her. “I can so -”

“We'll all fight him.” Yamamoto cut off, raising his sword.

The tall guy was about to jump down and grant the wish when all of a sudden, several more of his crew showed up as well. Including Squallo. The long white-haired growled, “You guys tricked me...” His greedy eyes scanned over them before demanding, “Who's got the rain ring?”

Yamamoto grinned. “That would be me.”

Squallo licked his lips. “Oh yeah? Then I'll slice and dice you in three seconds.”

But a hand came down on Squallo's shoulder and another man stepped up. He had raggy black hair and scars all over his face. When he came forward he just glared at all of them.

Reborn, who she hadn't noticed was there until just now, commented, “I didn't think I'd see him again.”

“Who?” Leona asked.

“Xanxus.”

Seiko watched in horror as Xanxus's hand started to glow with energy. Reborn gasped, “Everyone needs to run away. Right now.”

But before Xanxus could do anything, an axe was thrown through the air and landed between them. A voice called, “Wait just a moment, Xanxus. There is something we need to discuss.” It was Iemitsu and a small group of people walking up. He casually said, “I'll be taking charge from here.”

Squallo drew his sword. “You coward, always running away!”

Iemitsu chuckled. “What you call running away...is actually just waiting on orders. As of late, I had to question your methods and his tacit approval of them. I sent a letter to him, outlining my views. And his response, as well as his orders, have just arrived.”

Tsuna gasped, “What are you saying dad?”

Reborn explained to him that his father was the outside adviser for the Vongola. “When choosing successors, the outside adviser has as much of a say as the boss. It is he who gives half the Vongola rings to a chosen successor. That's why they're called half Vongola rings. Each is in two equal parts. They're proof of succession when both parts are attained. You'll need the other half of yours to confirm your succession. Though not unheard of, it is rain that the outside adviser and boss choose different candidates, but that's what's occurred in this case.”

Basil, who showed up with Iemitsu, handed both Xanxus and Tsuna a slip of paper.

Tsuna frowned. “It's in Italian. I can't read it.”

Reborn sighed. “In summary, the ninth generation has decided that you, Tsunayoshi Sawada, though once regarded as top candidate for succession, no longer stands first in his choice of candidates. Perhaps, he has become increasingly aware of his morality, he's had cause to see things with new eyes. This has led him to nominate another, and in his view, worthier, candidate. His own son, Xanxus. Ninth generation believes he should become tenth.”

“However he was open to my objection.” Iemitsu informed.

Reborn smiled. “He doesn't want to create pointless family fighting, however. That's why he's declaring a sanctioned duel. The outcome of which no one can dispute. In other words, a combat tournament with one-on-one matches between like-to-like bearers of the half rings.”

Seiko's gaze focused on the tall guy that initially instigated this confrontation. Does that mean that he also has the lightning ring? Seiko's hands were clenched so tight that she was trembling. She was actually excited about this. What better chance would she get to prove her strength? She looked at Leona, but she was worriedly gazing at Yamamoto.

Oh yeah. That meant that he would have to fight one-on-one with Squallo – who beat all of them so easily already.

  
  


After that confrontation and even harder training from Leona the rest of the day, Seiko barely remembered making it home. She all but collapsed onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her vision was fading in and out because she was so tired. But for some reason, as her eyelids fluttered shut...for just a moment...she saw Sophia again. But the poor girl looked so upset...

She felt a shiver climb up her body – it was cold. But she was too sore to get under the blanket. She just wanted... to... sleep...

  
  


When morning came, Seiko felt ten times warmer. She pressed her face closer to her pillow, not wanting to get up yet. A little more sleep couldn't hurt? But then she realized that she had fallen asleep on the edge of the bed last night, no where near a pillow. And she was warm, not cold. When she went to move, it clicked into place. There was a set of arms around her waist, holding her back firmly to his chest.

When Hibari had come home, he must have tucked her in. She snuggled as close to him as she could get, her tiny body able to curl up in the warmth of his. But when she moved, he shifted as well, his hand sliding down her arm and taking hers in his.

She rolled over just a little so she could see his face over her shoulder and see if he was awake. His warm eyes were trained on hers as she whispered, “Did I wake you?”

“Yes. Stop moving around.” He ordered with a yawn.

Seiko saw a small bruise on his cheek under his eye. She reached up and softly brushed her thumb across it. When he winced a little, she said, “Dino-san hit you pretty good?”

“It was a lucky shot.” He argued, pulling her back into him again and burying his face against her neck. “Stop disturbing me and go back to sleep.”

“I need to go meet Leona. She'll be mad if I'm late.”

His hold didn't waver. He lowly growled, “There's no reason for you to train.”

Seiko glared. “Why do you say that?”

“Because you're not fighting.” He argued. “Iemitsu came and told Dino and I about the orders. In a one-on-one battle, I can't protect you.”

“That's why Leona is training me to get better.” Seiko argued.

“If I can't protect you, then you're not doing it.” He challenged.

Seiko sat up, away from him. “You don't get to decide that stuff for me! I've already made my decision. I can't live my whole life under your protection - “

“Why not?”

Seiko was taken aback by the question, her gaze starting to soften. She wasn't sure how to answer it...or even if she should.

His hand slid up to the back of her neck and he gently pulled her back down, kissing her softly. “Don't fight.”

She pulled back just a bit and whispered, “But this is what I want, Hibari-kun. I've always fought, it's what I was designed to do. I want to be a part of Tsuna's family. And I want to be stronger...so that I can stand beside you. Not behind you.”

Hibari watched her for the longest time, his gaze portraying his struggle to let her go. Reluctantly, his hand released her neck. He said, “If, in your battle...you get hurt... then I'm stepping in. I'll help you, I'm not doing those herbivores any favors.”

Seiko shook her head. “Hibari you don't have to. You're not obligated to do anything you don't want to do - “

“If I didn't want to do it, then I wouldn't.” He told her with finality.

Seiko climbed out of bed and pulled on her usual training clothes. She started for the door when Hibari said, through a yawn, “Stay safe...Seiko.”

She looked back at him a moment before giving in. She trotted back to him and kissed him as softly as she could. “You, too. Put a few matching bruises on Dino, kay?”

He smirked. “When I bite him to death, he'll have too many to count.”

She smiled before rushing out to meet Leona and face another day of training.


	63. Sudden Eruption

For two or three days in a row, training had been going well. Seiko had been working hard and she felt she was really improving. But it was on the day that she and Leona tried to take the next step that everything took a turn for the worst.

  
  


Yamamoto lowered his sword, waiting as all the tiny pieces of the logs around him fell into splinters on the floor. He smirked triumphantly. “What do you think, pops?”

His father turned away, a smile on his lips. “Well son. I have nothing more to teach you.”

Yamamoto gasped. “What? But I've only just started learning!”

“This style...is either one you get or you don't. You'll have to keep practicing and developing your own way.”

With a sigh, Yamamoto watched him leave and he went to the window. He leaned his chin on the palm of his hand and mumbled to himself, “I wonder how Leona is doing...” Almost in answer to his words, he watched as far to the south of the city, a huge explosion erupted and fire was spewing everywhere. Even from this great of distance he saw that it was spreading and quickly consuming the forest. He hurriedly picked up his sword and went racing through town, hoping no one was hurt.

  
  


Tsuna was lunging at Basil but he easily dodged the attack and went around Tsuna like he was playing a game. Reborn shook his head. “You need to take this seriously, Stupid Tsuna. Basil is just playing with you.”

Tsuna stumbled back and fell against the cliff face. “So what...? It's not like I want to do this in the first place.”

Reborn kicked Tsuna in the face suddenly so that he went flying into the cliff. “Enough of that nonsense.”

Basil rubbed the back of his head. “I do think maybe we should take a break. Tsuna's been working pretty hard.”

With a sigh, Reborn started to give in, but a loud explosion rattled the ground and they all looked up. Past the cliff, far into the forest a huge fire was licking the sky.

Tsuna jumped up, gasping. “Holy shit! That's in the middle of the forest! What could have erupted?!”

Basil clenched his hand into a fist. “I dunno, but we should go check.” Reborn and Tsuna nodded their agreement and they all rushed off.

  
  


“Your moves are a little sharper.” Dino informed. “Does that mean you finally understand what we've been trying to tell you?” Dino asked, catching Hibari's tonfa in the constriction of his whip. Hibari tried to yank it loose, but it wouldn't come out.

He growled. “My change in fighting has nothing to do with you.”

“Seiko-chan then maybe?” Dino yanked the whip back, throwing Hibari off balance, so he collapsed to the ground. Both of them were panting, worn out, and bleeding.

Hibari held himself up for a couple minutes while Dino challenged, “I'm going to ask you something. I am not your enemy. You know that. I actually do want to help you. You need to know that you can rely on me. Perhaps I don't know you as well as Seiko-chan or some of your other committee members, but I'm going to be the one you can trust the most. Just tell me what's on your mind, Kyoya.”

Hibari sighed and rested on his arms, breathing a little heavy still. “Seiko told me. That she wants to fight.” His bangs were in his face so that he didn't have to make any eye contact with anyone. “But that guy yesterday said it was a one-on-one battle for the rings. That means I can't help her.”

Dino, half way, wanted to laugh. But he saw that this was a genuine submission from him. For the first time, the wild bronc was breaking down and letting his weakness show through. Dino's gaze softened. The boy's love for the girl must be far deeper than what he imagined. He asked, “Ever think that maybe she won't need your help? We criticize her for being weaker than all us, but...she has been fighting all of her life. She knows how to take a punch.”

When Hibari's hands clenched into fists, he realized that he hadn't said the right thing. He wasn't making anything any better. “Wait, let me put it like this. She's got a lot of spirit and she's training hard. With Leona's help, I bet Seiko-chan could hold her own pretty well in a fight. I don't foresee there being any issues. Have some faith.” Dino knealt down and added, “Besides, if this is what she wants to do, then if you really care about her... you've gotta support her. She's never gonna grow if you don't let her spread her wings.”

All of a sudden, a tonfa hit Dino right across the face and he backed up, shrieking, “What the hell was that for!?”

“We're training.” Hibari growled, standing back up. “I know how to take care of Seiko. I don't need your help.”

Dino scoffed, but he smiled. No wonder Seiko was the one to tame him. It would take a girl like her to crack the shell of this tough-guy. Dino stretched his whip. “Then let's get to it!” They started to run at each other again when there was a loud explosion.

They both looked over to see a fire raging in the forest. Dino whistled. “Holy crap, that's a lot fire for a little forest sweep. Don't think that's intentional...” He paused, checking to see just where that blaze was going up at.

“It's windy today. Bad day for a fire.” Hibari commented, readying his tonfas again.

Dino's eyes widened. “Wait. That's where...Leona and Seiko were practicing.”

Hibari's gaze spread as well and he didn't waste a single moment grabbing his jacket and rushing off the roof. Dino was right behind him.

  
  


Gokudera was rushing through the forest, Shamal with him. He shouted over the roar of the flames, “That fire went up so fast... I can't think of anything natural that could have caused it.”

Shamal shook his head. “Neither can I. Let's just check real fast for anyone that might be caught in the flames. Then we need to get out here. There's too much fire for us to even try to put out.”

Gokudera nodded and they started to go deeper in the forest when they all but ran into Ryohei and Colonello. Ryohei's eyes were wide. “Is everyone okay? Is anyone hurt?”

Gokudera shrugged. “Dunno, that's what we were doing. We were gonna check and make sure no one's in there.”

Ryohei nodded. “I already called the fire station. They're on their way and sending police to evacuate the houses closest to the forest.”

“Good call.” Gokudera informed.

Colonello was staring at the flames licking and dancing through the trees. “This fire...it doesn't feel... normal.”

“What do you mean?” Ryohei asked.

Shamal rubbed his chin. “Now that you mention it...it does seem...strange.”

Gokudera shook his head. “You're not making sense! Fire is fire! Just come on!” He urged, prodding them closest to the fire. Somewhere in the midst of it, they all met with Yamamoto, Tsuna, Basil, Reborn, Dino, and Hibari.

They were all panting and sweating from the heat. “Anyone know what happened here?” Gokudera asked.

Tsuna shook his head. “The whole forest just went up all of a sudden.”

Dino looked at Reborn. “Seiko-chan and Leona-chan were training here.”

Reborn tipped his hat down. “I thought so. Then we need to find them.”

Yamamoto's eyes widened. “Leona is somewhere in this!?”

Hibari had already rushed past them and was running straight through the flame-covered trees.

“Hurry!” Dino urged them all.

  
  


Seiko was staring up at an orange colored sky. The frame of her vision was lined with licks and flickers of fire. Why was she lying down? Where had the fire come from? Was she dying? She heard her name being called. All she could summon the strength to do was turn her head. Across the ground, not too far from her, she saw Leona worriedly staring at her. She was coughing from the smoke filling her lungs and army crawling towards her. “You're alive, right?”

Seiko smirked. “No I'm dead.”

Leona laughed. “Even still a smart ass.”

She turned her head and looked back up. Softly, Seiko whispered, “I messed up.”

“No, this isn't your fault. It's mine.” She touched Seiko's hand. “I should've known. I didn't realize it was going to be so powerful.” She sat up a little, still covering her mouth and nose with her other hand. “Can you move?”

“No. Everything...is just...numb and sore.” Seiko breathed, coughing a bit as well.

Leona nodded her head. “That's because you're one hundred percent drained.” She looked around worriedly. “I think we set the whole forest ablaze.” She raised her hand and tried to summon water to her hand, but it only angered the elements and the fire closed in on them. Leona winced. “There's too much fire around for me to summon my water. I'm sorry, I can't carry you, I'll have to drag you out of here.”

“Just leave me.” Seiko ordered. “Save yourself. If you have to drag me, we'll both burn in here.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I am not leaving you!” Leona argued, grabbing Seiko's shirt and lifting her up just a bit. “God...it's so hard to breathe in here...”

“You'll breathe harder wasting energy trying to carry me!” Seiko retorted. “Just go!”

“No! We'll either both make it, or we'll both burn!” Leona kept a tight grip on her, dragging her slowly. She was only making it a few feet a minute. Seiko closed her eyes. Was this how it was going to end? For both of them?

In a forest that was  **Broken and Burning**?

  
  


Hibari mercilessly knocked the limbs of a flaming tree down and continued forward. Yamamoto had stayed with him and scolded, “Hibari-san, take it easy. Getting worked up isn't going to help us find the girls any faster.”

Hibari shook his head. He was already injured before showing up, not to mention how worn out he must have already been. But he was just as determined as Yamamoto himself to find those girls.

But honestly he was scared at what they might find. If this eruption of fire had been caused by them... then... would they really be okay?

He called Leona and Seiko's name as loud as he could. But every time he was met with silence, his heart sank further. He held himself up on a tree for a moment and screamed, “Please answer! Someone!”

Hibari glared back at him. “Why are you standing still? They're not going to come to us.”

Yamamoto panted. “This fire is draining me. Is it not even effecting you?”

Hibari was sweating terribly, he could see, but in his adamant nature, he refused to let it show. He shook his head and continued on. Yamamoto trotted after him, praying they'd find something soon.

After going several more yards into the forest, the heard the sound of struggling. They raced over with a second wind and found Leona trying to pull Seiko to safety. “Thank god...!” Yamamoto gasped, rushing to her.

Leona looked at them with wide eyes. “Yama-kun, Hibari-san!” She threw her arms around Yamamoto and held him tight. “Oh my gosh. Thank you, thank you. I didn't think we were going to make it. You're my hero, Yama-kun.”

“I'm just glad you're safe.” He was already pulling his jacket off and pressed the thin clothe to her nose and mouth. “Don't breath to heavy, you've probably already taken a lot of smoke in.” When Leona nodded he pulled her in close to trying and keep more smoke from getting to her.

Hibari went straight to Seiko and carefully lifted her up. “What happened?” He demanded.

“It's my fault.” Leona stated suddenly. “She's not hurt. But her energy is totally drained, so she can't move.”

Hibari nodded and they didn't argue any more, but rushed getting the two of them back out. They met the others outside of the forest with the firemen and the police.

Dino walked up while they examined Seiko and Leona. He told Hibari, “Imagine the training they were going through to cause this amount of damage.”

Hibari didn't say anything. He ran his hand through Seiko's short hair, his fingers dancing down the black strands that were longer than the rest. Dino added, “She's really serious about this.”

Seiko looked at Dino curiously but Hibari finally whispered, “I know.” He kissed the back of her head, earning her a blush.

He had never done something like that were people could see. It caused a warm feeling to spread through her body and she giggled a little to herself. Maybe it wasn't only bad that came from this fire?


	64. Imprisonment

The snow was coming down heavily now. It was colder than hell. But she knew that on the other side of this building, there was an even greater hell waiting for her. Every moment now was weighing down on her shoulders and she felt like she could lose her mind any second. Sophia lowered herself down off the rocks and onto the top of the steel building. A small vent was under her feet. She had spent days trying to figure out how to get inside. Now she finally knew. She was moments away from saving him. And just moments away from being back in his arms.

She needed him so much...

  
  


Leona sat up, hearing Seiko training against the wood post in the court. She was still recovering from some of her injuries from the fire so they were taking any easy day today. In fact, she had told Seiko that she could just stay at home and rest, but she'd insisted on doing something. It seemed like any more though, she was constantly getting premonitions every time she closed her eyes. This one though, she knew was Sophia.

At first she opened her mouth to tell Seiko, but thought better of it. The girl was already worried enough about Sophia. If she told her that she was trying to break into the prison to save Mukuro, she'd freak out. She'd run blindly to her aid and probably get herself killed. Instead she teased the little red-head, “If you don't sit down and take a breath, you're going to break in half. And you're already short.”

Seiko turned on her friend, tackling her suddenly. “Then why don't I fight the real thing!?”

With that, it turned into just any other day of training. But Seiko almost won, because Leona just couldn't put her soul into the battle.

  
  


Every step seemed to echo back into her ears. To her surprise, there were almost no guards whatsoever. It was just her and the metal platform between cells. It wasn't the typical bars and people begging for freedom with cups against the rigs. There were a bunch of steel doors with name plates on each. She wasn't even sure if she could open a single door on her own – at least, not without her elemental powers to assist.

Why were there no guards?

Were they that sure that no one could escape?

Sophia jumped when a steel door rattled suddenly. The name plate on it said, 'Devon Gale'. Out of curiosity, she opened the eye hole that was towards the top of the door. “Hello?”

“Who's there?” A ragged voice asked from inside. “It's not my mealtime yet. I counted.”

After he finished talking, she could hear him mumbling numbers to himself. Was he counting time...? Sophia whispered, “I broke in here. I'm looking for Mukuro Rokudou.”

The guy started laughing out loud. It was too dark in the room to see anything. But she could hear him shifting as he taunted her, “You seriously broke into Vindice's prison?”

“He's very important to me.” Sophia pressed.

“Tell me. Why is a little girl involved in the Mafia?”

“First of all, I'm not little. Secondly, it's because of him that I got involved. I fell in love with him. He's been falsely imprisoned.”

There was a snort through the darkness. “Oh, has he?” There was another punch against the door, which she learned was the noise she originally heard from the door. “Let me tell you something, girl, no one gets put in here that doesn't belong here.”

“Oh yeah? What did you do?”

“When I was a kid, I was told had to join a 'mafia alliance'. Decided as a teenager that I was going to create my own damn alliance. One stained in blood.” He explained with a sigh. “Who am I kidding? I can't make myself sound tough. Our family was in debt to one of the mafia bosses. We were slowly paying it off in any way we could. I worked my ass off. But then one day, the head-honcho just decided he was sick of waiting and started making unreasonable requests. I watched this guy come home one day when my Dad was out running an errand for them. He started beating my mother right in front of me...I couldn't handle it. I had a power that I couldn't explained. I killed the bastard without ever touching him. But then...these guys showed up... and dragged me away. Mother screamed and screamed. But she never came for me. I don't blame her. Life must be much better without her little trouble making Devon around.”

Sophia gasped and for a moment she thought of her own mother. The same mother that kicked her out of the house because she was a 'rebel'. She looked down, resting her forehead against the door. “Are all parents like that?” She even thought of the way Seiko's father publicly beat her – just to prove a point!

There was a question from Devon that didn't take words.

“Do any parents really care about their children any more? Or are we all destined to be punished because of the way we're born?”

Another punch made Sophia jump. Devon growled and it sounded almost animalistic. “If it wasn't for this damn gem...I wouldn't have killed him!”

Sophia's eyes widened. “Gem?” She pressed herself to the door to try and see inside. “You have a gem!?”

There was a lot of movement suddenly and all of a sudden his eyes were right there. He had silver eyes but around his left, there was a trail of broken gems in a circle from his eyebrow all the way around to the bottom of his eye. “What is your name?” He demanded.

Sophia was almost completely breathless. “Sophia Maclinder.”

“As in the Earth Guardians?” He was pushing against the door.

“Yes.” Sophia informed. “So Gale is...”

“The Shadow Guardians.” He answered. “That's why they won't let me turn on the light. Sophia... can you get me out of here? You're already breaking out that other guy, right?”

Sophia nodded. “But I don't know how to get this door open.”

“You don't have to.” He told her. “Move your head so some of the light comes in.”

She did as he ordered and his hand went up in front of the light, creating a shadow in the small window of light. It then began to move and swirl and all at once, he and the shadow were gone. Then she watched it crawl out of the small slot and into the hall with her. She stepped back as it raised up and formed a boy about her high with spiked jet black hair. He rubbed his silver eyes and sighed. “It's been so long...”

Sophia swallowed hard. “Now, since I helped you... will you help me?”

He nodded. “My life is in your debt.” He pointed down the hall. “Mukuro isn't kept in this section. His crimes were too high.”

“There's a crime higher than murder?” Sophia asked.

“It's the amount of murders and the importance of the people killed that ranks you. Nearly everyone in Vindice is either a murder or a treason-er.” He waved his hand. “Follow me.” He grumbled, struggling with the clothes he was forced to wear. It was a long white t-shirt and a pair of gray sweats. He yanked off the shirt and tossed it aside, rushing down the steps. They had made their way to the bottom floor where she distinctly noticed that it got much cooler. So cool in fact that she could see her breath.

“What is this?” Sophia asked softly.

Devon frowned. “This is where they keep criminals induced if they think they're too dangerous.”

Sophia's heart sank into her stomach as they started passing tubes of water. Inside each tube a person was strapped up and floating completely submersed. She hesitantly asked, “Is...Mukuro in one of these containers?”

Devon nodded slowly. “Yeah... here...” He pointed with his hand to a tube in the back where she could see his clearly defined shape through the darkness of the water. She pressed her hands to the glass and held back her tears. “Oh my god...how could they?” She clenched her hand into a fist and went to break the glass when Devon caught her wrist. “Stop. If you break that recklessly, you could do more harm than good. They're given a balance of dosages and if you mercilessly rip him from the binds, the water could poison him. They're kept in suspension for a reason. It doesn't just look bad.”

“Then what do I do? How do I get him out?!” Sophia demanded, her eyes wide with worry.

Devon rubbed his chin. “I think...we could find a way to drain it. It would probably...be... towards the front in the control room.”

Sophia clenched her hands into fists. “No, there must be something around here that will drain them.”

Devon's eyes narrowed. “We can't risk draining them all. We only want to release him, not every villain that was brought to justice!” He grabbed her arm and pulled her along. “Come on. It's only a matter of time before they realize I'm out.”

Sophia followed him, her eyes darting back to Mukuro before the door in front of them was thrown open. The same men who had taken Mukuro from her was right before her.

“What are you doing?”

Devon stepped back and turned. “Shit!” He dragged her along, heading back the other way. However they were cut off again by more men. They started towards them.

“It appears we now have two prisoners instead.”

Sophia shook her head, looking over her shoulder and into the tube of water that Mukuro was floating in. “I just want to save you...” She whispered.

As though he heard her words, his eye suddenly opened and the symbol within started to spin. When her eye locked on his she was thrown into another world suddenly. A perfect world.

There was a lake. Trees with autumn leaves falling around them. And just her... and Mukuro.

He smiled, but his expression looked almost pained. “You came all this way to save me...Sophia-chan?”

She looked down, her body trembling. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and remind him of how important he was to her. She breathed, “I can't...stand being away from you...Mukuro.”

His hand stroked her face. “You're in danger, Sophia... You shouldn't have come.”

“But I can't leave your side!” Sophia shouted. “Mukuro, I - “

He stepped closer to her, wrapping his arm around her slender waist and kissing her deeply. For just a moment the wind picked up and the leaves danced around them. Her hair whipped around her face and for a moment, she forgot every trivial thing that worried her. Mukuro pulled back just an inch and gently told her, “Don't fear, my love. I am always with you.” He lifted her hand and looked at the ring on her finger. “You have a job to do...and I will be with you every step of the way. Believe me.”

“I do believe you.” Sophia responded, wrapping her arms around his warm body and losing herself in him, even if just for a moment.

But the very next moment, she was alone and in the cold.


	65. Chapter 65

Seiko looked up from where she was training.  She was panting, hands on her knees, body covered in burns and her clothes were still smoldering.  Leona noticed that she stopped and questioned, “Something on your mind, Seiko-chan?”

“No.”  She answered honestly.  “I just thought I felt something strange.  Something… familiar…”

“As you get closer and closer to initiation, you’ll get that feeling a lot.  Your purpose is to become one with your element.  You’re communicating with it.  More and more often you will feel the sensation of a presence that’s not your own but it is at the same time.  It’s normal.”

“Is that so…”  Seiko mumbled.  She straightened back up and wiped the sweat from her brow and face as she ordered, “Then let’s get back to it.  I want to show everyone my real strength!”

Leona’s gaze warmed and she assured, “Don’t worry.  You will.”

For several days all the guardians trained with all their strength.  Yamamoto, along side his father, trained vigorously to learn his  new sword technique from his father.  Gokudera trained with Dr. Shamal, trying to blow up the paper airplanes.  Tsuna, of course, was training with Reborn and Basil, doing his thing.  Hibari and Dino were always clashing on the rooftop.  And Ryohei was with Colonello, giving it his all.  The last guardian, besides her, they still had no idea who it was.  Even as the days ticked away, there was no sign of their final member.

Finally, the day the women had ordered them to gather, arrived.  Tonight, at eleven pm, the first battle would begin.

Hibari was changing clothes from the drying, folding them into a basket when he took a pause.  The shirt he was holding had several holes and tears in it, most of them were caused from burns.  He frowned more, listening to the water running in the bathroom.  Seiko had been in the shower for a while now.  Suddenly he began to wonder if she was truly prepared for this match.  Where he had returned each night, covered his bruises and scrapes, she had returned with burns.  Burns that would join the marks over the rest of her body as scars.  His gaze softened when the water stopped and Seiko stepped out with a towel around her.  She let out a happy sigh.   She paused when she saw him staring at her.  “What’s wrong, Hiba-kun?”

He sighed and turned away once more.  He told her, “You don’t need to fight.”

Her gaze softened.  Every night they had the same argument.  He always gave in but then the next day would change his mind and start all over again.  It was the way he was.  She didn’t mind it, but she just wished that he’d give her a chance to prove herself.  She told him, “If we argue about this again today, we’ll be late to school.”

He glared at her.  It caused her to pause.  Did he not care about being late to school?  The same guy that nearly ‘bit her’ over being tardy her first day?  When she stepped up to him, placing her hand on his arm, he suddenly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up against his body.  Where her face pressed against his chest, she could feel his heart racing.  She closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax.  It helped that his breathing fell upon her wet hair and lulled her into serenity.  “I won’t… stand back.  I can’t risk… seeing you hurt like this again.  Your eye and those burns, you – “

“Trust me, Hiba-kun.”  Seiko told him, stepping back and looking up at him.  “I know you want to protect me.  I do.  And honestly , I wanted to be protected by you.  But I want to be strong as well.  For myself, for you, and for my friends.  I told you, I don’t want to stand behind you.  I want to be beside you.”

He slowly reached his hand up and brushed the scars on her face.  Her eye was still clouded and sightless and the cuts were still fresh.  It pained him to see that.  To see her this way.  He was scared that if he let her fight, that something worse could happen.  That she could end up like her sister.  But he had to have faith in her, as well as in his own abilities to step in if things go wrong.  He stroked the side of her face which caused her to let out a pleased noise, similar to a kitten having their ear scratched.  With a smile on her face, it made her look so beautiful.  Despite her own opinions of herself.  He touched his lips to her forehead and whispered, “I made breakfast.  Eat and hurry up.”

“Thanks, Hiba-kun!”

Seiko and Hibari were halfway to school when she spotted Tsuna walked slowly along side the fence.   His hands were in his pockets and he looked as though he were shaking – badly.  Walking up to him, she started to say something when Yamamoto showed up behind him and patted his back rather hard.  Leona was there beside him, giggling.

Yamamoto joked, “I gotta say, I couldn’t sleep last night.”

“Nervous?”  Tsuna asked with a hopeful look in his eyes.

“No way!  I’m so excited!”   Yamamoto started to ramble.  “It’ll be fine.  At first I just wanted to beat that longhaired guy.  I still don’t get  _ why _  we’re fighting, but thinking about you, Hayato, the others, I realized this is  _ our _  fight, not just mine.  We’re all in this to win.”

Tsuna was frowning.  “I guess…”

Seiko raised her hand.  “We’re all in it, to win it!”  She glanced over and noticed that Hibari had already walked off.  With a sigh she relaxed her shoulders.  She wondered if he’d ever be able to deal with crowds.

“Darn right!”

They looked over as Gokurdera joined as well.  “There’s no way Xanxus is going to lead the Vongola.  I won’t lie, his crew are blood-thirsty maniacs, but they’re way too full of themselves.  We’ll beat ‘em, boss, don’t worry!”

As Gokudera and Yamamoto reassured Tsuna, he slowly began to stop shaking.  After Tsuna overcame that realization, he looked down at the box in Gokudera’s hands questioningly.  After a moment, Seiko questioned, "What’s up with the box, Gokudera?”  She leaned over to look in, “Paper airplanes?”

“Stop, no peeking!”  Goku shouted at her.

Tsuna asked, “What’re they for?”

“They’re… for… training.  I’m… um… not quite finished learning Shamal’s technique.”

“It involves paper airplanes?!”  Tsuna gasped.

Quickly changing the subject, Goku asked, “So… who has the mist ring?”

“Even I have no idea.”  Tsuna claimed.

“Reborn usually has these things under control, though, right?”   Seiko asked.

“Yeah… as long as it’s not an idiot like Lambo is.”  Gokudera stated.

All of them nodded in agreement.

Hibari stood at the gate, watching them talk as Kusu walked up, giving him a curious look.  “I find it interesting you dislike crowds so much, but you’re so concerned over Seiko you won’t leave her alone with them.”

Hibari glared at his second in command, but said nothing.  Kusu tried again, “You could join her.  She might enjoy your company with her friends.”

Hibari simply scoffed and made his way on into the school, heading to the rooftop – where he would continue biting Dino to death.

Once in class again, several of the students teased Tsuna about if he was over his ‘flu’.  Tsuna rubbed the back of his head, “Oh yeah.  I forgot dad told the school I’d been sick.”

“I bet you just wanted out of gym!”  One of them teased.

Seiko glared back at them and they quickly silenced.  It wasn’t until that moment that she’d realized she’d barely been back to school since the accident with her sister.  She hadn’t  realized till now that since she didn’t have to protect Cressa anymore, she’d taken her place watching over Tsuna while Hibari did his prefect thing.  She didn’t mind, it just seemed kind of like the natural role she fit into.

But when Kyoko trotted up to him, she smiled and took her seat by the window.  She pulled her book out and went to reading for class since she’d fallen so far behind with her other work.  However, reading turned out to be useless.  All she could think about was the fight tonight.  She imagined Hibari had probably returned to roof to fight with Dino.  If that were the case, then she’d pick up lunch and bring it to him.

She was shaken from her stupor when she saw Ryohei storm into the room and wrap his arm around Tsuna’s neck, shouting something about preparing for a sumo tournament.  Seiko frowned.  Was he lying to prevent involving his sister?  Ryohei escorted him out of the class room, despite class starting – she assumed to discuss why he didn’t want Kyoko to know.  But she didn’t need to hear the explanation to know why.  

When you care about someone, you don’t want them to worry.

Her grip loosened on the book in her hands.  She remembered the look on Hibari’s face this morning when he asked her not to fight.  When he wanted her to be safe.   Her gaze softened.  She wanted to relieve Hibari of his stress and let him protect her, but if she did that, she would never earn her right as the heir of her family or as a member of Tsuna’s family.  She didn’t have to be the strongest.  She knew that.  But she wanted to be as strong as she could be.

Leona was sitting in the next class room over and she could feel just the faintest tickle of heat against her skin.  Her gaze widened and then she closed her eyes, pressing her hand to her heart.  “Seiko-sama…  I can feel you thinking about something.  What are you getting so excited about, heiress?”

Seiko made a special trip out during lunch time to get three bento boxes of sushi from Take restaurant.  She hurried back just as the lunch bell rang.  She wasn’t supposed to leave early but she wanted to spend as much time with Hibari as she could.  She made her way to the roof top, opening the door in time to narrowly miss a whip snapping over her head.  She whined, “Dino-san!  Watch what you’re doing!”

Dino and Hibari both paused, covered with all kinds of gashes and cuts and looked over at her.  Hibari relaxed his fighting poise and straightened up while Dino squealed, “Seiko-chan!  How nice to see your cute little face!”

Within moments, she’d distributed the bentos and was cleaning up Hibari’s cuts while he ate.  Dino was watching her dab at the cuts and then cover them up with bandages.  When Hibari became aware of it, he snapped at his trainer, “What are you looking at?”

Dino paused and commented to Seiko, “You’ve been training hard, yourself, Seiko, You’re wrapped up from head to toe.”

This caused Hibari to glare even harder but Seiko giggled, “It’s not that bad.  They’re all superficial.  Besides, I already have tons of scars so it doesn’t matter to me if I get a few more.”

Dino didn’t miss that she would have to turn her whole head when talking to him because she couldn’t see out of her left eye.  He asked, “So you’re ready for your fight then, huh?”

“Yeah!”  Seiko stated excitedly, patching up the last of Hibari’s injuries and now tending to her own meal.  “Leona is a great trainer and I’m gonna surprise all of you when I wipe the floor with my opponent.”

Dino chuckled.  “I expect no less.”

Hibari’s gaze lingered on her.  She knew that he still didn’t approve of her fighting, but at least he wasn’t arguing with her now.  As she ate, she wiggled closer until she was leaning against his side.  To her relief, he didn’t shy or move away and let her relax against him.  She had half expected that in front of Dino he’d brush her off.  Perhaps on some level, the prefect was beginning to trust his trainer.

It was nearing the end of lunch hour and Seiko was well asleep on Hibari’s shoulder.   He was, as carefully as he could, picking up the mess left behind from their meals and re-boxing it up to be either saved or thrown away.  But he was doing his best not to disturb the sleeping being upon his shoulder

Dino couldn’t help but smirk as he threw away his now empty box.  Reborn had definitely made the right call about lightning being their only attachment to the cloud.  Without that little girl, that beast would be so wild.


	66. Chapter 66

It was time.

Seiko pulled on the uniform that Leona had custom made for her.  It was made of special material that could easily spark together and create a fire.  But at the same time, she would have to be cautious with each move that she made.  She pulled on a shirt and pair of jean shorts over the top of it and put the gloves in her pockets.  Once she was changed, she stepped out to see that Hibari was waiting for her.

She smiled and asked, “Are you ready, Hiba-kun?”

His gaze was intense and his arms remained crossed, but that’s all the answer he gave her.  It was all she needed honestly.  She really had learned how to read him much better than the beginning and now she understood to take anything he didn’t openly protest as acceptance.

He steadied her as she pulled on her shoes and they headed to the school.

Most of the group was there and Gokudera snidely commented, “Oh.  The buttwipe actually showed up, surprising.”

Hibari immediately went for his tonfas but Seiko scolded both of them, “Can’t you try to get along?”

Gokudera pointed his finger angrily at Hibari and demanded, “Why should I?  That guy is a total – “

Yamamoto laughed and patted Gokudera’s arm and stated, “Let’s chill today, why don’t we?  We’re all here to cheer each other on.”

Gokudera sighed and then stiffened when Hibari corrected, “Not really.”

Yamamoto huffed but Leona who was leaning on him teased Seiko, “So the outfit well, right?”

Seiko nodded and raised her arms.  “Perfect, you did a great job, Leona-sama.”

“Good, I was worried.”

“New outfit huh?”  Yamamoto questioned.  “Were you guys playing with clothes instead of training?”

Leona shook her head.  “This is a very special outfit.  You’ll have to wait until her match to find out why though.”

Ryohei pointed past them when Tsuna and the kids showed up.  He was carrying Lambo and stated, “Sorry I’m late.  Lambo kept wanting to play hide and seek.”

Gokudera gasped and shouted, “Don’t waste time like that, stupid cow!”

Yamamoto commented, “So… all of us are here…”

“Except the mist ring…”  Gokudera finished.

“Hope it’s not his fight tonight.”  Seiko admitted, placing her knuckle to her chin.  She was getting more and more curious to find out just who Reborn had chosen.

Ryohei commented, “It sure is quiet at school after hours.”

“It’s nice.”  Hibari stated.

Seiko giggled, “You’d know all about it, huh?”

They all looked up when their attention was called by the two females that had originally given the details of this meeting.   They announced, “As the results of impartial deliberation, the participants in the this match have been chosen.  Tonight’s match will be between the bearers of the Sun rings.”

As they made the announcement, the Varia walked up from the other side.  Ryohei narrowed his eyes and stated, “So that means it’s me and that guy with the stupid hair, right?”

“Thank you for attending, we’ll now begin the tournament for Vongola succession.”  The two women explained.  “The arena is ready.”  The pointed their hands across the school courtyard and at what looked to be a caged boxing arena.  That was perfect for Ryohei!  This match would be his no problem.

Seiko was really starting to feel pumped up.  She almost wished that it was her match tonight instead of his.  She couldn’t wait to use her new abilities.

“This is the ring designed especially for the bearers of the Sun rings.  It takes into consideration the combat techniques of each fighter.  Such special arenas will be provided for each match.

“So it’s a battle cage!?”

The Prince commented, “Looks expensive.  What a waste of money.”

“Boxing ring, eh…”  Yamamoto commented.

Ryohei was cheering, “My kind of territory!”

Tsuna was beginning to break down again.  “The tournament is really starting… and we really have to fight…!”

Seiko jumped a bit when she felt Hibari touch her shoulder.  He went to a nearby tree and sat down, leaning back and within moments, falling asleep.  Her gaze softened.  He had only come in case it was his fight, but he was staying without protest because he knew she wanted to be here.  Her cheeks flushed with happiness.  Shying a glance at Yamamoto and Leona, she wondered if this was considered ‘official’.

The man on the other side of the ring, Ryohei’s opponent, was frowning, “Is the boss here yet?  This is my big moment and he’s going to miss it.”  He pouted

“These are  _ our _  battles.”  Squallo stated.  “But I still wish the boss would have just let me kill them.  It’d only take five seconds.”

Prince commented, “Someone’s staring at you Mammon.”

“I know.  I’d like to charge him a fee for it.”  The floating little boy responded.

One of the women announced, “Will the fighters please enter the ring!”

“This is it!”  Ryohei cheered.

Seiko threw a fist up.  “Go get ‘em Ryohei!”

“Let’s send him in proper!”  Yamamoto suggested.  

This made Ryohei turn right around and shout, “A prematch huddle!  Yes!”

Seiko gasped when Yamamoto and Ryohei grabbed all of them and pulled them into a circle.  Yamamoto asked, “What about Hibari?”

Seiko waved her hand, “There’s no way in hell.  He’d kill you before he joined us.”  She laughed.

“Boring!”  Leona laughed.

Ryohei started chanting, “Day or Night!  Fight the Fight!  Yeah alright!”

They all cheered back and Seiko laughed, clapping her hands.  “Good luck Ryohei!  Kick his ass!”

Hibari, from where he was leaning, could see how brightly Seiko was smiling.  Then he watched her turn to Leona and both of them giggle about something.

He realized how well she was getting along with those…  He paused before calling them losers.  They made her happy.  They weren’t losers.  As Ryohei stepped into the ring, Hibari wondered to himself if Seiko would cheer for him just as she was cheering for Ryohei.  He never cared about anyone cheering him on before.  In fact, he disliked it.  But the thought of Seiko excitedly for his match… it brought a foreign warmth to his chest.

He felt someone kick the side of his leg and he suddenly looked up.  Seiko, wearing that still warm grin and welcoming smile, asked, “Is this spot taken?  I’m surprised you aren’t napping yet.”

Hibari shifted over to give her room against the tree and pulled his jacket off before she sat down, resting it on the grass.  Seiko stated, “You don’t need to get your jacket dirty for me.  I can sit in the grass too.”

He just watched her and her smile grew as she sat down.  She leaned against his arm and whispered, “You worry over silly things.”  She reached her hand down and placed her own within his, her heart pounding when his fingers linked with hers.  It was something so simple but it brought her so much warmth.  “But it makes me happy.”

“It… does?”  Hibari mumbled.

“Yep.”  Seiko told him, her chin resting on his shoulder now.  “Everything about you brings me happiness.”

Hibari stared at her in shock but her attention turned towards the ring and the fight that was about to begin.

Once the two fighters were in the ring, the women judges announced, “We have confirmed that these two fighters are the successors of the sun rings.   You must each wear your ring around your neck.  Whoever defeats his opponent and takes the ring is the winner.”

The crazy looking guy that was facing Ryohei all of a sudden started dancing in place and wiggling, “You have such a nice body!  You’re so my type!”

Gokudera all but gagged, “Is this really happening..?”

“I’m taking you home with me.”  Lussuria stated.

Ryohei shouted, “Knock it off!”

“Interesting… Lussuria likes him.  Poor kid.”  Prince chuckled.

Ryohei shook his head and tossed his shirt to the side.  “I don’t get your line man, but it’s time to fight.”

Lussuria laughed and teased, “Is that your boxing stance?  It’s so unstylish!  Muay Thai standing techniques are much more stylish.”  As he spoke, he raised a leg up and struck an awkward looking pose.

Reborn explained, “The Varia’s sun ring bearer is a martial artist, I see.  The guardian of the sun has always had powerful arms and legs.  They signify the blazing sun that incinerates the families enemies.  That, indeed, is the guardian’s purpose.”

“ ** The battle between Lussuria and Ryohei Sasagawa will now begin!!”  ** The woman announcer exclaimed.  As soon as she finished, all of the lights on top of the cage suddenly came on and everyone flinched away.  The lights were so bright and even turning away didn’t stop the searing pain that went through Seiko’s body.  As soon as the light hit her sensitive left eye, she let out a screech.  But she gasped when her eye was immediately covered and Hibari pulled her around, away from the light.  She could feel the warmth of his hand protecting her left eye.   Slowly, she opened her right eye back up and mumbled, “Thank you, Hiba-kun.”

“I will always protect you.”  He said simply.

“This arena was designed for the sun ring battle, so it’s filled with simulated light.”

“But… I can’t see anything.”  Tsuna told the women.  

Reborn handed him a pair of glasses.  “Here, wear these.”

Tsuna paused and asked, “Do you have more for Hibari-san and Seiko-chan?”

“I have one.  But these won’t help Seiko.”  Reborn explained.

Tsuna gasped and rushed over to the tree with the extra pair of glasses.  “Seiko-chan!  Are you o – “ He paused when she looked over at him, Hibari’s hand still over her eye.  “Good.  I was worried about your eye.”  He shifted uneasily and commented.  “H-Here… um… if Hibari-san would like… to watch…”

Seiko looked at Hibari who yawned, ignoring Tsuna’s existence entirely.  Seiko giggled and answered for him, “I think Hiba-kun is just gonna nap.”

“R-right… um.  Just in case…”  He set them in Seiko’s hand and quickly ran away like Hibari was going to change his mind and rip his head off.  He pulled Seiko in closer and held up the glasses so she could see through them with her right eye.

Seiko told him, “You’ll have a hard time sleeping while protecting me, you know?”

He didn’t say anything back.  Again.  Acceptance.

Lussuria kneed Ryohei easily in the gut and that’s when they realized that he’d been wearing sunglasses the whole time, but Ryohei was unable to.  When Tsuna mentioned something about tossing Ryohei glasses, the woman judge quickly shut him down by saying they’d be automatically disqualified from this match.

Gokudera snarled, “That’s fighting dirty!”

Ryohei was punching around in the light, unable to even tell where Lussuria was.  Seiko frowned.  “It looks like Ryohei isn’t going to stand a chance in this match.  That’s all but cheating…”

Hibari glared at the frown on Seiko’s lips.  He couldn’t care less about the outcome of his match, but it was pissing him off that it was upsetting Seiko.

After watching Ryohei struggle around for a bit, Lussuria threw an easy punch that nailed Ryohei, sending him flying into the cables.  Because of the light crashing down on them, the second his body made impact, the sizzle could be both seen and heard.  He let out a scream of pain and he bounced back to the middle of the ring.  

Lussuria purred, “You’re so close to my ideal…my physical beauty… which is ravaged… unmoving bodies!”  But because Lussuria was talking so much, Ryohei was able to lunge up and nail him with a punch right in the chin, sending him flying, easily through the air.

Yamamoto squealed like a fan girl, “Nice punch!”

Prince scoffed.  “He’s just playing.  He  _ wanted _  to get hit.”

As Lussuria came back down, he giggled, “You’re such a tease.”

Ryohei, as though able to sense his presence, threw his fist forward into the air.  But the punch that he threw was met with his protective knee plate.  As soon as they made impact, Ryohei let out a scream of pain and blood spurted from his arm.

Seiko’s eyes widened and she gasped, “Ryohei!”

While Ryohei crumbled to the ground, Lussuria laughed and taunted, “I struck in a way worth of a guardian.  With the Steel plate embedded in my left knee!”

Seiko gritted her teeth, wishing there was something she could do to help.  “Not only did he shatter his arm, but the heat is getting to him as well.”  She pointed out, seeing that he was sweating incredibly heavily compared to Lussuria.  But just as she was beginning to think this match was already over, a bird flew in with a baby similar to reborn in its talons.  The baby dropped down, arms crossed and shouted, “Get up, Maggot!”

Tsuna gasped, “Colonello!”

“It’s time to show him your true power, Ryohei!”  Colonello ordered.

“Don’t bother giving him a pep-talk.”  Lussuria teased, “He’s done and I’m taking the ring.”   He started forward as Ryohei sat up.

The boxer, despite his appearance, scoffed, “That’s all I needed to hear, master!”

Gokudera and the others started cheering him on as he got up.  “He looks shaky, but he’s getting there!”  Yamamoto shouted.

Lussuria pointed his pinky at Ryohei.  “My body is different from yours.  It can stand this heat.  Now my beautiful fellow, die already.  Become the latest addition to my corpse collection!”

“Not yet!”

“Why prolong this?  Your efforts are useless.”

“Yeah, my efforts so far.  That is… my left-handed efforts…”

Reborn commented, “That’s right.  So far, he’s only been using his left hand.”

“Then…”  Tsuna gasped.

“He’s been saving his right.  Correct.”  Colonello answered.

“But why?”  Tsuna asked.

“For one, we needed to rest his cells in order to bring them to peak condition.  More to the point, he’s the guardian of the sun.  His right fist is for overcoming extreme disadvantages.”

Suddenly Lussuria started laughing.  “My my, how comical.  I don’t know how strong this punch that you’re saving is, but good luck trying to hit me.”  As he spoke, he started moving so fast that the visual of him became nothing but a blur.  He slammed into Ryohei who stumbled but maintained his stance, his eyes shut tight.

Lussuria was circling around him quickly but as he came around, Ryohei threw his right arm straight up, shouting, “Maximum Cannon!”  When he did, he just barely knicked Lussuria’s chin, causing him to lunge away, but the force of the blow caused an air current to slam up into the lights above, shattering them.

“This levels things a bit.”  Ryohei commented.

“Now he can see!”  Yamamoto cheered.

Seiko shouted, “I can’t believe he could do that with just the force of his punch!”

Hibari glanced at her and then back at the ring.  He told her, “Not quite.”

“Huh?”  Seiko asked glancing at him.  “What do you mean?”

“Crystalized salt.”  Hibari told her.  “He gathered in his hand and threw it in his punches, shattering the fixtures.”

“Really?  Whoa.  How could you tell?”  Seiko questioned, but her lips were still curved in a smile, eagerly awaiting what would happen next.

Lussuria laughed.  “Damn.  You had me goin when I though you did that with the force of your punch.  Only person able to do that was the first generation and he earned the title of shining punch for that move.  But anyone can do tricks like you did.”

Ryohei snarled, “You can boast once you’ve taken a hit from my right hand.”

“Well said.”  Colonello stated.  “Never give up.”

Tsuna looked at the other baby.  “Are you sure…?”

“Yes.  The Maximum cannon releases the energy of every cell in your body.”  Colonello explained.  “It’s your best chance.  Put it all in your fist.”

“Go Ryohei!!”  Seiko shouted.

“Alright!  I’m going to my limit!”  Ryohei shouted, charging for Lussuria who started moving quickly again.  Ryohei thrust his right fist forward, but Lussuria lifted his knee just in time that the impact caused his right arm to shatter similar to his left.  Once again, he hit the ground, letting out a shout of pain.

From the other side of the ring, the Varia shouted about Lussuria needing to hurry up and get on with finishing him off.  Seiko went to say something when a voice stopped her.  All of the Vongola family looked over to see Kyoko walking up, a frown on her face.

Tsuna shrieked, “What are they doing here!?”

Iemitsu stated, “These girls were looking for Colonello so I escorted them here.”

Kyoko shouted, “Ryohei!  Why are you fighting!?  You said no more fights!”

Lussuria laughed, “What are you this guy’s kid sister?  It’s no use.  This guy is going to lose to me and die!”

Seiko narrowed her eyes.  The Varia were determined to finish their opponents to the bitter end it appeared.  These aren’t just battles to them, they gain pleasure from being ruthless killers.  Her gaze shifted to the tallest one that also had the Lightning Ring.  The one named Leviathan.  Her opponent.

Ryohei struggled to get up.  “I know… what I promised… and I meant it…but I also said… that I would never lose again…!”  He suddenly shot straight up and charged at Lussuria.  

Lussuria began moving quickly again, “You sure are persistent.  Let’s end this!”

“I’ll show you the real Maximum Cannon!”  Ryohei screamed at him.  This time, when Lussuria blocked it with his kneecap, the force of Ryohei’s punch was so strong that the plate completely shattered.

Seiko gasped with joy.

Lussuria was thrown back, landing on his face before clutching his knee and screaming in pain.

Prince scoffed.  “It’s over.  He no longer has a defense.  That weirdo makes me laugh.”

Colonolle complimented, “Now  _ that _  was a shining punch.”  He was picked up by the bird again and flew over to Kyoko.  “That’s enough.  Let’s go back.  It’s over and past my bedtime.”

Ryohei ordered Lussuria, “It was a fine, to-the-limit battle.  Now hand me the ring.”

“No!”  He shouted back.  “I’m a Varia!  I’ll win on just one leg!  Let’s keep going!”

Before anyone could do anything, all of a sudden, something slammed into his back, causing it to rip open and he collapsed forward in a pool of blood.  They all gasped and stared in shock.

The big guy in the back’s hand was smoking.  He must have been the one to fire the blast.  Which means it was his own teammate that attacked him.  Seiko felt her breathing lock up .  The baby on the Varia team stated, “You are a fine aide to the boss, Gola.”

Reborn explained, “The kill the weak policy.  It’s how they stay strong.  Lussuria knew his life was forfeit if he lost.”

“That’s… horrible.”  Seiko stated, her body trembling.

“So… killing their members is a policy…?  They’re not… human…”  Tsuna stated, his eyes wide in horror.

“They think that little of their own comrades.  Imagine how insignificant it is for them to kill us.”  Reborn stated.

The female judges announced, “We have determined that Lussuria is no longer able to fight.  Therefore, Ryohei Sasagawa, you are declared the winner of the Sun Ring fight.”  There was a pause.  “Tonight’s battle is over.  We will now announce the opponents for the next match.”

Tsuna gasped, “You’ve already picked them!?”

Squallo growled, “Let me go next!”

“Listen up!  Tomorrow’s battle will feature the guardians of the Lightning Ring!”  They shouted.

Seiko’s eyes widened.  “That’s me…”

Hibari looked at her sharply.

Tsuna gasped and looked over at her.  “Seiko-chan… I-If she loses…”

“She’ll be worse off than Lussuria.”  Reborn stated plainly.

Tsuna’s gaze shifted to Hibari who didn’t move an inch.  “Then… we’ll all be dead.”

“Hey guys.  I didn’t waste all that time training her, you know?”  Leona growled.  “Give her some credit.  She has a lot to prove.


	67. Chapter 67

Everyone was in a bit of shock and awe after the next match, but it wasn’t until then that Seiko realized her left eye was still being covered.  She turned her head to Hibari who seemed to be in a daze and she teased, “You can… uncover my eye now you know?”

His own gaze shifted to her and he slowly uncovered her eye just as she asked.  He slowly stood up, helping her to her feet and picking up his jacket.  They started to walk off when Tsuna called her name and ran over to her.  “Seiko-chan, listen.   You… don’t have to fight tomorrow.”

Reborn hit the back of his head.  “Stupid-Tsuna.  Don’t say stupid things.”

Seiko shook her head.  “Look, I know you’re worried about me.  Probably mostly because you’re worried about what Hiba-kun is going to do to you if something goes wrong.  But I’ll be fine.”

Tsuna’s gaze softened and he shook his head.  “No.  I mean…”  He glanced at Hibari and flinched.  “I am definitely considering what shapes my body can make when he breaks me, but I’m worried about you.  You still can’t see from your left eye and all those burns.  I know you’ve been training really hard, but you saw what they did.  It’s not worth your life.”

Seiko laughed and gave him a warm smile, genuinely surprised by his confession.  “You offered me to be a part of your family.  Whether that is your doing or Reborn’s doesn’t matter to me.  I had never even felt a part of my own family before.  I know all of you are worried about me getting hurt, but to me, this is my first chance.  This is my chance to fight for myself, for my own reasons.  To give me a chance to feel strong, to feel useful… to feel like I’m not just some ugly , useless girl that looks like a boy covered in scars.  I need this battle.”

“Seiko-chan…”  Tsuna lingered a moment before closing his eyes and nodding his head.  “Right.  Then do your best tomorrow.  We’ll all be cheering you on.”

“Thanks!”  Seiko told him, her smile even wider than before.

The next day Seiko was relaxing in the tub.  She had skipped school in order to be relaxed and prepared for the evening’s battle and to her surprise, not only had Hibari not complained, but he’d also joined her in skipping.  He cooked breakfast and lunch for her and drawn this bath so she could relax.  It was nice and hot, just as she liked it.  She allowed her tiny body to sink down far enough that only her nose and up was out of the water.

She looked down at her tiny body.  Her thin legs, covered in brown red scars.  Her straight hips that didn’t even look muscular like a boy.  Her flat chest.  Everything about her was just a board.  She was without personality, feminine traits, anything.  But that’s why she needed to fight.   She knew it was stupid, but in the back of her mind, she felt that if she could win this battle, it would allow her to grow.  Maybe… to be pretty.  Even if only to herself.

She nearly jumped out of the water when there was a knock on the door.  She squeaked and automatically covered herself up, even though the door didn’t open – she supposed it was just a reaction of sorts.  “Y-Yeah…?  Do you need something Hiba-kun?”

“May I come in?”

Her heart began to race and in reaction, the gem on her sternum flashed in sync with her heartbeat.  Her arms were still crossed over her chest and she answered shyly, “Y-yeah that’s fine… I’m still in the bath…”   She added the last part of the sentence so there were no misconceptions about her situation.

He carefully opened the door, shutting it without looking at her.  Without a word he walked over and sat down with his back to the tub.  He was half dressed in his school uniform, even though he didn’t go, except without his jacket.  Seiko uncovered herself when it became apparent he wasn’t going to look at her.  She asked, “Is something wrong?”

“What you said… yesterday…”

Her brows arched in questioning.  She asked, “Which statement?”

“That… I…That I… make you happy.  Is that… true…?”

She leaned on the edge of the tub, near him and she told him.  “Of course it is.  At first, when I didn’t understand you, I thought you were a jerk.  But then I started figuring you out and I realized that you do all these kind things for me.  You make me feel very special.  And that makes me happy.  I care about you a lot, Hibari.”  Her eyes narrowed.  “So when… when I thought Mukuro had taken you from me… I…”  Her voice drifted.  “I’d never felt so sad in my life.”

He gave a long pause, reaching up with his hand and brushing his knuckles tenderly along her cheek.  Just like always, she nuzzled in to his touch.  It reminded him so much of a kitten or any kind of baby animal.  He whispered, “If that’s true then why do you need this fight to realize all those things?  If I make you feel special then… isn’t that enough…”

Seiko’s eyes widened with surprise.  Slowly she smiled, feeling her heart all but bursting with affection for this man.  She slowly wrapped her dripping wet arms around his shoulders, not caring if he would complain – which he didn’t – and nuzzled her head against the back of his.  “Hiba-kun… You do make me feel more than I could ever ask for.  And I appreciate more than you could ever know.  But… I want to feel that I’ve earned something.  Through my own strength.  You make me feel strong, but I want to earn my own strength.  You make me feel special, but I want to earn my position in Tsuna’s family.  I want to earn my own qualities to compliment the special qualities you give me.”

He reached his hand up, resting it on her arm.  He slowly whispered, “Seiko… you… are beautiful…”  Her eyes widened even further, her body going numb at his words.  “And you are  strong… you are all those things you accused yourself of not being yesterday.  You don’t need me to tell you or make you feel that way and anyone that says you are otherwise is wrong and I will bite them to – “

“Hibari.”

He stopped, his body stiffening when she said his name so sharply.  He suddenly felt fearful when he heard her sniffle and squeeze him tighter.  He was afraid he’d done something wrong, that he’d hurt her.   But she tenderly whispered, “Hibari… thank you… No one… has ever…  _ ever _  said those things to me…  and hearing them from you… I…”  Her grip tightened even more.  “Hiba-kun, I love you.”

His eyes widened.  It was his turn to be shocked.  He slowly turned, so he could see her face, to see her red eyes that were now watery and glazed, but she was wearing the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen.  His heart had never raced so hard except during a challenging battle.  But this kind of racing was something more special, more perfect.  He reached his hand up and cupped the side of her face, the left side, his thumb brushing over her scars.  He first kissed the eyelid of her sightless eye before he kissed her lips so deeply that he felt it through his whole body.  “Seiko…”  He whispered against her lips.  “I didn’t even know what that was until you.  I thought it was a joke… until you.  I was lost and blind… until you.”  He kissed her over and over, slowly turning around so he was facing her and the tub.  He gently lifted her out of the water, not caring that he was getting himself soaked.  And Seiko ignored that her body had no protection, that he could see all of her, but she didn’t care.

He thought she was beautiful.  She would give the world to keep that feeling.  To know what it was like for someone to genuine ly  see her and make her feel like a woman; like a  _ strong _  woman.  Tears of happiness were racing down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around his body and pressed her chest to his.  He cradled the back of her head, like she was a delicate child, but it didn’t offend her.  She savored it, longed for it.  She could say it over and over and never regret it.  “I love you so much, Hiba-kun.”

He pulled back just long enough to once again stroke her cheek with his thumb.  He whispered to her, “I love you to the point that it hurts, Seiko.  I always stress about where you are, if you’re safe, if you’re happy, if I’m good enough…”

She gripped his vest at his last words.  She all but hissed, “You are more than good enough.  Even if you weren’t, I wouldn’t want better.  You’re all that I want.”

“You’ll always have me.”  Hibari whispered to her, moving his lips from her s  and caressing them in the most affectionate ways down her neck.  “I meant it before… when I have no intention of ever stopping in protecting you.  Until you tell me, word  f or word that you want  me to leave and never return… I will stay by your side, helping you, carrying you when you need it, guiding you when you’re lost.  I – “  He stopped when he saw the tears growing in Seiko’s eyes.

She shook her head quickly and nearly shouted, “You can’t ever leave me!”   His shocked eyes focused on her, startled by her reaction.  “Don’t you understand Hibari?  Without you… I’d either be curled up in the streets, or dead, or sick, or broken or any of the things that you ever saved me from.  I need you… always.  That will never change.”

He pulled her in close and tenderly whispered, “Seiko… without you… my life would have no meaning…”

She fell limp against his body, her tiny frail being tucked away in all that was him.  She cried of happiness into his shoulder.  “Hibari-kun…stay with me…just like this… please…”  She was slowly moving, trying to work her way out of the tub when her knee slipped just a bit and instead of getting out, she pulled Hibari down into the warm water with her.  She gasped when her head went under and he quickly pulled her up, brushing her hair out of her face and wiping the layer of water off her eyes and nose and mouth.  She looked up at him with a heated blush and whimpered, “S-sorry… now you’re completely soaked, too.”

“It’s fine.”  He told her sharply, looking her over.  “Did you hit your head?  Are you okay?”

Her gaze softened, glazing over with love.  “No, I’m just fine.”  She leaned back a little bit, drinking in just how lucky she was to have someone so compassionate.

He started to lean down to kiss her when a flickering light caught his eye.  Immediately his gaze went to it and then he blushed when he realized he was looking right at her chest.  He quickly turned his head away and whispered, “Seiko… wh-what is that?”

Seiko looked down at her own gem as though she hadn’t seen it before.  She shyly covered up her whole chest and whispered, “You… didn’t see it before?”

“N-No.  I’ve never seen you – “  He cleared his throat.  It seemed so unusual to see him shy.  But she adored it.  It made her feel happy – just like everything else.

“I guess you were pretty out of it when you were fighting Mukuro.  This is the gem that Leona was talking about at that meeting.  This is what is so unique to my family.  It’s the element that choose me as its guardian.”  She shyly pulled her arms away so that he could look at it again.

His gaze was nervous and he tried his hardest to keep it focused just on the gem.  He was surprised to see that it looked like it was alive.  There was an orange glow that danced around within the red of the gem.  It was bright and it gave off this essence that felt… happy.  It was… amazing.  He breathlessly whispered, “I told you that you were beautiful, Seiko…”  He reached up, his fingertips tenderly stroking the crystalline surface.

But the moment that he did, Seiko’s cheeks turned red hot and she tipped her head away to let out a noise that seemed similar to a moan.  He looked up at her in surprise and she  whimpered, “I’m s-sorry.  I know it doesn’t look it… but it’s still a part of my body.  It’s… extremely sensitive…”

“I see…”  Hibari whispered, withdrawing his hand and then wrapping his arms around her.  He gently lifted her out of the tub, telling her, “The water’s gotten cold.”  He carried her out of the bathroom, grabbing a towel on his way.  He set her down in her bedroom and gently began to dry her off.

She couldn’t take her eyes off of him.  It was her first time being naked and exposed to him – to anyone and she didn’t feel the least bit nervous.  Maybe it was his gentle and protective touch, or maybe it was those slate eyes that were usually filled with malice, but were now warm and glowing.  Whatever it was, it had her leaning into his every touch.  Even when he dried off her hips and legs.  Her cheeks still turned rosy, but she didn’t feel… uncomfortable… at all.

She realized though he avoided the gem and when he stood back up, he looked into her face.  She watched him, wishing she could tell him that it was alright.  But instead, he tipped his head down and kissed her tenderly.  It caused her heart to race and she felt the warm radiation from her gem once more.  His kisses worked their way down her neck, over her collarbone and her breathing stopped when she realized h e moving towards the gem.  Her body trembled and she could feel his lips grow more hesitant as though asking her to stop him if she wanted him to.  But she didn’t.  The second his lips touched the ruby on her chest, her entire body warmed and she breathed his name softly.  Never before had she felt such a careful, soothing, delicate touch in her life.  It had her whole body feeling like it was one fire.  His arm supported her, allowing her lean back into it and she gripped his still soaking wet shirt.  His lips lingered on her gem and she softly moaned his name, her fingers trembling on him.  He withdrew just a bit and gently asked, “Does it feel good, Seiko?”

Her face was awash in a dark crimson and her eyes glazed over.  With a slight nod, she answered, “V-very much so…”

She couldn’t tell if the smile on his lips was that of pride or happiness, or almost… maybe a challenge.  But either way, she didn’t mind.  He now knew her greatest weakness and she wasn’t the least bit concerned that he’d exploit it.  At least… not in ways she didn’t want him to.  He kissed her lips one last time before he began to unbutton his shirt.  “Do you mind if I change, so I can dry off too?”

Seiko seemed to rattle from her stupor.  “Oh!  Of course.  If you want, I’ll step out – “

“No.”  Hibari told her.  “It’s only fair… right…?”

Seiko stopped in her tracks and out of the corner of her eye, she could see him shed his white shirt.  Her face flushed, but she had to admit… she wanted to see.   She delicately took her seat back on the bed.   His back was to her now and she was watching the way those strong  muscles flexed with every movement.  When she heard him unzip his pants, it caused her body to twitch and she wondered, for a moment, just how attracted she was to him.  Her thoughts had never been vulgar before.  But now that she knew he thought she was beautiful and the possibility of him being attracted to her existed, she wondered if… something like  _ that _  could ever happen between them.

She leaned back on her arms, suddenly feeling more exhausted than she should.  She glanced at the clock.  It was only two in the afternoon and her battle wasn’t until eleven tonight.  She had plenty of time to get some rest in.  She started to say something to Hibari when she felt his arms around her.  She gasped as he scooped her up and lay her further up on the bed so that he could lay next to her.  He was still wet and she watched a drop of water run from his shoulder and follow his collar bone before she looked up at his face.  Those eyes were so warm and so attractive.  He smiled and kissed her forehead, softly asking, “Is this okay?”

“That depends…”  She whispered back, “Will you stay like this with me… until we have to go to my battle?”

He pulled her in so she was tucked away against his chest.  He answered, “I’d stay like this with you forever if I could.”


	68. Chapter 68

“Seiko-chan.  You showed up.”

Seiko looked up from where she walked alongside Hibari through the rain.  He was holding an umbrella up for the two of them, though she’d insisted it’d do no good since she’d have to fight in the rain anyway.  Of course his worrysome self didn’t listen nor care.

Seiko giggled.  “Of course I showed up.”

“It’s the second match now.”  Ryohei stated.  “Good luck out there.  You’ll do great.”

Gokudera added, “But if not, we’ll jump in, no worries.”

“Actions such as that will result in disqualification.  Along with that, all who interrupt and the one who was saved will forfeit their rings to the opponent.”  

They all looked up to see the female judges were standing on the roof in rain coats.  At the same time, they both pointed to the other side of the school and stated, “That will be tonight’s battlefield.”

Hibari stepped back so Seiko could see the multiple spires that had been set up for the lightning storm on top of the roof.

When lightning struck, Tsuna gasped.  “Wh-what!?”

Seiko narrowed her eyes and followed the group up to the roof.  As they walked, Seiko, who had a hold of Hibari’s hand, tightened her grip and swallowed her breath of fear.  She could do this.  She knew she could.  She was unstoppable right now.

Gokudera pointed to the spires and asked, “What are those?”

“Tonight’s combat area will be fitted with lightning rods for the match between the Lightning guardians.  The battleground is called electtrico Circuito.”  As if on cue, a bolt of lightning struck down, hitting one of the rods and the entire arena was covered with electricity.  Seiko narrowed her eyes.  One of the women explained, “The Electtrico Circuito’s floor has been coated with a special conductor.  The lightning that strikes the rods will be discharged onto the floor at several times its normal potency.”

Tsuna gasped, “No way!  You’ll be burnt to death from just standing there.”

Gokudera gritted his teeth.  “They knew that there’d be a thunderstorm tonight and set this up…”

Leona looked at Seiko and stated, “That means you’ll need to win this fight before the first lightning strike.”

“Lightning guardian, please proceed to the center of the battleground, your opponent has been waiting for two hours.”

Seiko looked up questioningly.  “Two hours?  Why?”  She was working her way out of the jacket that Hibari had also insisted she wore.  When it was off her shoulders, Hibari took it and draped it over his arm.  Across the arena, the Varia all stood, Leviathan stepping towards the arena already.

Mommon joked, “He tends to get overzealous.  Especially when he knows he has an easy kill.”

Seiko had started towards the arena when Ryohei grabbed her, even with one of his bad arms.  She gasped and stumbled as they all got into a huddle.  He shouted, “Just like yesterday guys!”

They did their chant and all wished Seiko luck.  Leona added, “Don’t forget everything I taught you, got it?  Exactly as I taught you.”

Seiko gave her a thumbs up and once again tried to head for the arena but her arm was caught once more.  Everyone looked at Hibari with surprise in their expressions.  His teeth were gritted and she could see through the rain how clouded his expression was.  He was… scared.  For the first time, the fearless Hibari… was scared.  She was overcome with warmth when she realized that fear was for her safety.  He was desperate to protect her.

Her hand went to her gem and she whispered, “I will be fine.  I promise you.”

Hibari reluctantly let her go, his arm falling limp to his side without a word.  Tsuna’s gaze softened as he watched him looking after Seiko with such a pained expression.  In the beginning, he’d been confused and unsure of the relationship between them, but now there was no doubt just how in love Hibari was with Seiko.  He nearly looked like a different person.  But once she was out of his reach, his gaze darkened and narrowed on her opponent and his body stiffened, as though ready to jump after her and protect her.

Tsuna felt a bit of relief.  At the worst, they would lose the lightning and cloud ring today.  But he was sure that there was no way anything bad would happen to Seiko with Hibari right there.

As Seiko stepped up to the battlefield, she heard all the team cheering for her  – except Hibari.  But it wasn’t words she expected from him.  His presence alone was all she needed.  But the comfort he gave her before the match, it still had her body on fire.  She was unstoppable.

Yamamoto relaxed from his cheers and looked at Leona.  “You really think she can take this guy on?”

“You guys are all mistaken.”  Leona explained.  “Seiko’s struggle won’t be if she’s strong enough to win.  The fact is… she’s too strong.  Her struggle will be to reign it in.”

Reborn looked expectantly at Leona and asked, “That forest fire… was all her power, right?”

“Yeah… you should have felt what I did.  The power inside of her… its amazing…” Leona explained, her eyes shimmering with excitement.

Tsuna turned back to watch the match, his eyes wide with surprise.  So Seiko is… too powerful?

The woman judge raised her hand, “The battle for the Lightning ring, Leviathan vs. Seiko Himura may now begin!”

As soon as she was done, Seiko charged right across the arena.  Leviathan stood his ground, waiting for her to reach him.  She smirked and he raised his arms to defend himself but as soon as she did, she lunged off her foot and flipped over him.  Her light and fast body gave her an advantage in a one-on-one fight.  As she circled in the air, she brought her foot back around, kicking him in the back of the head.  He stumbled forward and glared back at her.  He growled, “For a boy with no muscle you had to have something to your advantage.  You’re a fast little runt.”

Seiko’s bangs were already sticking down into her face from the rain and she glared at him, her red eyes dark with anger.  She felt the warmth on her sternum and closed her eyes, ordering it to calm down.  She glanced up though when she heard the crack of lightning.  It hit one of the spires.  Next it would light up the arena.

Tsuna shouted, “Dodge it!”

Seiko saw the electricity run through the field, but Leviathan stayed where he was.  It hit him, but did next to  nothing.  He maybe twitched.  Seiko shifted, moving some of the wires so the electricity couldn’t reach her.  Once the shocks subsided, Levi charged towards her, but in his hand was a unique kind of knife.  It was a long, thin metal but the handle of it was almost in a harp kind of shape.  When he reached her, he took a swipe, but she dropped down on one knee, rolling between his legs and flipping back up behind his back.  She spun, going to kick him, but he caught her leg.  She narrowed her eyes when he didn’t let go.

The crack of lightning informed her why.  A bolt went down and spread through the arena.  As it came towards her, she pushed off her remaining leg and bridged over the wire.  It burned her forearms and the back of her shirt and back, but she missed the direct hit.  It left her vulnerable and Levi ripped her up and threw her across the arena.  She flipped back up to her feet and panted.

Seiko could feel the heat increasing on her chest.

Leona narrowed her eyes and bit her thumb nail.  “I didn’t think we’d have to resort to it so fast…”

“Resort to what?”  Tsuna asked curiously.

“You’ll see before too long.”  Leona whispered, hoping that it would work.

Seiko watched as Levi fanned his arms out and suddenly the weapons on his back a flew out, revealing themselves to be umbrellas and they hovered in the air around the arena.

Tsuna gasped, “What are those!?”

Seiko narrowed her eyes.  “I don’t like this.”  When they began to glow, she started to run through the arena.  Just as she figured, within moments, they shot a blast of electricity and she narrowly dodged to the side of it, but she could still feel the heat on her skin.  She ran towards Levi.  If she was close enough to him, he wouldn’t attack himself.  But when she drew near, he threw one of his crazy daggers and she jumped to the side, nearly right into the blast.  She rolled away and panted, now down on one knee.

Leona caught Hibari moving out of the corner of her eye and she quickly darted in front of him, putting her arm up.  “Trust me, don’t jump in yet.   She’s just seeing… if she could win the fight without using what she learned.  She hasn’t even started really fighting.”

Tsuna looked at her with shock.  “She hasn’t?  Wh-why!?  Now would be a good time to start!”

Leona gritted her teeth and shouted, “Seiko!  Go ahead and invoke!  You need to do it now!”

Seiko narrowed her eyes and looked down at her hands.  She saw the umbrellas charging for another blast.  She didn’t have time.  Levi laughed and pointed, “What’s wrong, scared stiff little boy?”

Seiko straightened up and pulled her shirt off.  The outfit Leona made her was underneath just like the day before.  It was a one piece black outfit that left her gem uncovered, but it was made of tight, highly combustible material.  Seiko was glad that this point because with the rain, without it, she would have been hopeless.  She placed her right hand over the gem and it slowly began to glow red.

Tsuna stared.  “What is she doing?”

Squallo snarled, “Why does that little boy have a ruby sewn into his chest?”

Her eyes were closed and Levi began to laugh.  “Are you praying!?  Do you think that is going to save you?”  When he raised his hand  and as he did, all the umbrellas shot another electric attack.

Tsuna shrieked, “Seiko!  Move!!”

“She can’t.”  Leona said sharply.

“What do you mean she can’t!?” Ryohei gasped.

Hibari started to force his way around Leona but she grabbed him and with Yamamoto’s help they yanked him back from the arena.

Reborn explained, “She’s an element guardian.  She’s invoking her element and once she begins, she cannot budge or be made aware of her surroundings until she’s connected with it.”

“So she – “

They all covered their eyes when the lightning slammed into Seiko full force and erupted around the whole arena.  But when it cleared, Seiko still stood, statue still, but with burn and smoke smoldering off her body.

Levi narrowed his eyes and started walking forward.  “What the hell is going on?  He’s not even moving.  Did he give up?”

Tsuna was beginning to panic and he shouted over and over, “Seiko!  Wake up!  He’s coming for you!  SEIKO!!”

Hibari was yanking against Leona and Yamamoto.  He snarled, “Get off of me before I bite you both to death!”

“I can’t do that!  You have to let Seiko have a chance!  She wants to prove herself!”  Leona yelled.  “She might have to take a few hits, but she’s going to destroy this bastard, I promise!”

“A few hits is a few too many!”  Hibari all but screamed at her, trying to get free.

They looked over as Leviathan picked up Seiko by her hair and clenched his other hand into a fist.  He swung it up hard enough into her gut that she spit up blood, but her body still  didn’t move.  He began to laugh.  “Oh this is fun.  I could enjoy this.”  He threw her up and then took another swing, hitting her in nearly the same place and she went flying across the arena.”  Electricity came through, hitting her once again, causing more burns.

Tsuna put his hands up in front of his face.  “I-I can’t watch this.”

Gokudera shouted at Leona, “Forget it!  Just let him go!  Whatever Seiko is doing it’s taking too long!”

Leona and Yamamoto kept their hold on Hibari to the best of their abilities for a little longer.  She had closed her eyes at this point, having to listening to every hit Seiko took while she was invoking her element.  She was all but crying as she begged, “Hurry and wake up, Seiko…”

When Seiko came to, her entire body felt like it was on fire.  Not just because of the flame raging through her body now, but also because of the numerous burns and bruises that were covering her body now.  She coughed, spitting up blood as she pushed herself to her hands and knees, just in time to get kicked in the ribs.  It was strong enough that she let out a screech of pain and went flying into one of the lightning rods.  She gasped and gritted her teeth, seeing Levi walking towards her again.

She pushed through the pain and got to her wobbly legs and smirked, “Hey you… metal face.”

Levi narrowed his eyes, knowing that she was making a joke about the numerous jewelry that was in his face.  Seiko brushed her fingers together in front of the gem on her chest and a fire caught in her hand.  She stated, “There’s something I want to tell you.”

“Oh yeah?”  He questioned.

“Yeah.”  Seiko snarled.  “I’m a fucking girl.”  With that, she threw her hand out and a massive blast of fire slammed into Levi, throwing him across the arena and into another of the rods.  The fire kept raging, slowly smoldering the rod and the other wires that were going through the ground.  Seiko gritted her teeth, having to hold up her trembling arm with her other hand.  Already sweat was collecting on her skin and her feet began to hover off the ground because of the energy pulsating out of her body.  She remembered a similar feeling in the forest a week ago, when she had first awoken the power.  Small amounts were easy to control but in the heat of battle, she was beginning to feel weak and the fire was taking control.

Leona screamed while everyone stared in awe, “Seiko!  Rein it in!”

Seiko curled her fingers in and steadily, slowly brought her arm down, panting heavily at the effort.  When she did, the fire ceased and returned to just a small flame in her fingers.  She was struggling more than usual do to all the damage on her body and it caused the flame to flicker and smaller puffs of fire appeared all around her body.

Hibari stared in awe at Seiko and the multiple melted spires that had collapsed in response to her flames.

“That was awesome!”  Tsuna shouted.  “I didn’t know you could do that, Seiko-chan!!”

Yamamoto released Hibari since he’d calmed down.  “You did good, Leona.  She’s a lot stronger now.”

Leona rubbed the back of her head.  “Well I can’t – “  She looked over, seeing Leviathan getting up.  When he did, all the umbrellas shot electricity right towards her.  Leona shouted, “Look out!”

Seiko threw up her hands in time that a wave of fire expanded, cancelling out the electricity, but it expanded out, filling the whole field.  The fire suddenly began to blaze even more and spiraled around Seiko as though she were the vortex of a tornado.  She panted, her arms down but the fire wouldn’t go away.

Leviathan stepped out of its reach but he was still sweating from the heat of the flames and it was leaving him breathless and panting.  “Shit… they’re so hot…”

Tsuna took a step back.  “I can feel the heat from here…  there’s so much fire…”

Hibari shouted, “Seiko!!!”

“This was what I was talking about.  She doesn’t have control yet.”  Leona put her arms up, the flames causing the wind to stir and push her hair back, flying around her face.  “We won’t be able to get to her, she’s got to tame it herself this time…”

Hibari gritted his teeth and despite her words, he started towards the fire.  Leona put her hand up, “Hibari-san, stop!!”

Seiko had her arms up, feeling them burning from the fire that was spinning around her.  Every breath she took in was devoid of oxygen and at this rate, she was going to pass out.  Her fingers clenched and unclenched as she closed her eyes and concentrated.  This is my energy… I will control it.  If she had gone through initiation, then this wouldn’t be happening.  But the terms of initiation had scared her too much.

Reaching her hands out, she willed the fire to calm down.  The gem on her chest glowed brightly and suddenly all the fire started spinning in the opposite direction and went surging back into the gem.  She let out a scream of pain as it felt like her entire insides were being burned thoroughly.  Once the fire was sucked back in, she crumpled to her knees, panting.

“She did it…”  Leona whispered.

Gokudera added, “And look!  All that hot air caused the front to move out.  The sky is clear!  She can fight without the lightning now!”

“No.”  Leona cut him off.  “She doesn’t have the energy left.  You have no idea the amount of effort it takes to control an element without undergoing initiation.”

“What is initiation?”  Hibari demanded.

“It’s a pretty much a contract with the element that gives her soul to it.  It’s a binding so-to-speak.  If she did it, then she could summon the element at will.”

“Why did she not do it?”  Tsuna questioned.

“It requires becoming one with the element.”  She answered, her eyes trembling.  “It’s horrible.  I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone.”

Tsuna went to say something else when they all noticed that Leviathan was walking towards Seiko.  “No!”  He shouted.  “Seiko, forfeit!  Give up!”

Seiko got to her feet, gripping her chest and coughing.  Majority of her  skin  was burnt all to hell and she felt like her body was even more brittle than before.  When Levi was close enough, he went to kick her, but she caught his foot, breathing sharply.  She wasn’t fast enough as he swung around punching her in the face, sending her straight into the ground.  He then began to repeatedly stomp on her.

Hibari’s eyes widened with rage and he ripped away from Leona and Yamamoto who gave up without a fight this time.   But before he could reach the arena another blast of energy cut him off.  Tsuna was in deathspiration mode and he ordered Hibari, “Don’t get disqualified.  Wait just a moment.”  He shot off suddenly ahead of Hibari and  naild Leviathan with a punch, knocking him away from Seiko.  

Seiko coughed on her own blood and looked up at Tsuna, a bit of shock in her dull red eye.

Gokudera was shocked as he asked, “Could that be…?”

“Tsuna…?”  Yamamoto finished.

“Yes.  There’s no mistake, that is definitively the 10 th !”  Gokudera exclaimed.

“I don’t care how important to you it is… whether the vongola rings or succession of the Vongola throne… I wouldn’t fight for that kind of thing.  But I…” The dying will flame slowly went out on his head.  “I will not let my friends be hurt before me!  I don’t want that!”

Everyone stared in shock, but while they did, Hibari hurried over to Seiko, lifting her limp form up off the rain-soaked floor.

Tsuna’s eyes widened when he heard someone shout, “Stop flapping your mouth!”

In the next moment, Tsuna was blind-sided by a hit that sent him flying across the roof and the rest of the team shouted his name.  From the other rooftop, they spied the culprit, Xanxus who had been watching from there all along.

Tsuna glared up at him, now furious because of what had happened to Seiko.  He hadn’t wanted to fight this stupid succession battle in the first place, and now Seiko once again was badly injured.

Xanxus demanded, “Are you serious about defeating me and becoming the successor?”

Tsuna retorted, “I never thought like that!  I only don’t want to lose any of my friends in this battle!”

For some reason, this pissed Xanxus off.  He opened his hand as energy began to collect there and shouted, “What, is that so!?  Why you…!!”

One of the female judges hurried up to him.  “Xanxus, don’t!  If you act here thent he meaning of the battle of the rings will be ruined.  Please put away your fist!”  

He suddenly hit her with the blast instead, snarling, “You’re too noisy!”

After she rolled to the ground, he stated, “I’m not angry, you know…”  His face curved in the most wickedest looking grin.  “Rather, I’m starting to get excited.”

Prince stated, “Now this is rare.  How long has it been since we last saw the boss smile?”

“Eight years.”  Levi answered.

“I finally understand.  The reason you were once chosen by that old man to be successor… whether it’s that stinking washed-up way of talking or that weak flame.  You and that old fool are like two peas in a pod.”  It became even more disturbing when he started to laugh out loud.  “This is a real tragedy.  No it’s more like the birth of a farce!”  He turned to the remaining judge.  “Woman.  Continue.”

She nodded her head.  “Yes.  Then I will announce the battle’s results.  This roud of the guardian face-offs, due to Sawada Tsunayoshi’s interference, the victory goes to Leviathan.  The ring of Lightning and ring of Sky must both be handed over to the Varia.”

Tsuna pulled the necklace with the ring over his head and handed it to the woman.  When she moved towards Seiko, Hibari ripped out his tonfa and held it up protectively over her.  The woman, startled, jumped back, not wanting to wind up like her twin.

Tsuna put his hands up.  “Hibari-san.  Just let her take the ring.  Once it’s gone, Seiko will be out of danger.”

Hibari glared at Tsuna and then looked down at the limp Seiko in his arms.   She shifted the slightest bit, lifting her head and pulling her necklace off, holding it out to the woman, past Hibari’s defense.  Gratefully, she took it, still nervous that Hibari would attack her.  Shen then delivered the rings to Xanxus.

Xanxus pieced the sky ring together and placed it on his finger, growling, “That the ring should come to my hand is only natural.  With me here, is there any need to consider any other for the position of Vongola boss?  As for the other rings, I don’t care what happens to them.  Right now, with the Vongola’s name behind me, I can order you all to be killed any time.”

Everyone gasped, but Hibari’s response was to pull Seiko in closer to him.

“But to simply kill you, who were chosen by the old fool, would be too boring.  You should first be allowed to taste true despair in this battle for the rings.  Just like that old fool.”

Shock spread through the crowd and Iemitsu screamed, “Xanxus!!! You!  What have you done to the 9 th !?”

Xanxus laughed.  “Isn’t investigation you field of expertise, outside advisor?”

“Don’t tell me… you…!?”

Reborn quickly ordered, “Calm down, Iemitsu.  There is no definitive proof.”

“Then… how about you holster your gun.”  Iemitsu challenged.

Reborn lingered, realizing that he had gripped his gun tightly in his hand.  He slowly shirked it away.

Cluelessly, Tsuna asked, “What’s going on…?  What exactly did Xanxus do?”

“Rejoice, imposters.”  Xanxus growled.  “I’ll give you another chance.  The subsequent matches will take place as planned.  If you manage to claim victory, then I will hand over the Vongola rings, as well as the Vongola throne.  But if you lose, all that which is most precious to you, will disappear.”

Hibari narrowed his eyes and started to stand when Seiko grabbed his jacket and hoarsely ordered, “D-don’t.  Just let it go.”

“He’s threatening y-“

“I’ll be fine, Hiba-kun.”  Seiko offered him softly, but her hold was firm on him.

“All… that is most precious…?”  Tsuna repeated fearfully.

“You must show me… the strength that drew the attention of that old fool.”  Xanxus ordered.  Turning to the judge he growled, “Woman.  That’s all.”

She jumped.  “Yes.  Then I will announce the match-up for tomorrow’s battle.  Tomorrow’s battle will be between the guardians of the Storm.

Yamamoto smirked.  “The next round is Gokudera then?”

“If it’s you, then there’s no problem.  We’re counting on you.”   Ryohei exclaimed.

Iemitsu was trembling with rage and Reborn ordered, “I need you to fly to Italia.  I’m concerned about the 9 th .”

“I apologize.”  Iemitsu told him.  “I”ll leave Tsuna… all of them to you.”

Reborn nodded.  “I’ll handle those guys.  My understanding is greater than yours.”

Once the Varia moved out Tsuna turned to Hibari and Seiko.  “How is – “  He gasped when Hibari held up a tonfa again and Tsuna jumped back, falling on his ass.  “H-Hibari-san!  I’m sorry!  Please don’t…!”

Hibari glared at him in a way that words couldn’t describe.  His hands were shaking on the tonfa as well as on Seiko.  Slowly he put the tonfa away and stated, “You’re lucky I can’t carry her and bite you to death at the same time.”

Tsuna frowned as he watched him get up and carry her towards the roof’s exit.

Gokudera exclaimed, “I can’t believe he threatened you!”

Tsuna shook his head.  “He’s… very worried over her.”


	69. Chapter 69

Seiko looked over when the door to her hospital room opened for the hundredth time.  For the most part, it was the same visitor coming and going, but never spending too long away, despite Dino coming in and suggesting he return to training.  But after getting a look at her condition, Dino had let it go.

Seiko looked at what was in Hibari’s hand, to see that he’d gotten her a drink from the cafeteria – her much preferred smoothie over the crap they were giving her.  He looked her over, those slate colored eyes full of pain and it made her heart ache.  She softly scolded him, “Stop looking at me like that.”

“You’re in the hospital again.”  He told her, sitting down beside the bed and handing her the drink.

She sipped at it and stated, “Just as a precaution.  It actually doesn’t even hurt that much.”

“Probably because you’ve been burning yourself all week.”  He growled.

“Are you mad at me?”

He stared at her in shock before looking away.  “Not at you.”

She set her glass down and reached for his hand, pulling it into her lap.  “I’m really glad you let me fight.  Even though I lost… I’m glad.  I learned that I’m actually really strong.  In fact the reason I lost was because I was too strong.  But I’ll get better.  So you don’t have to worry as much.”

His trembling hand clenched on hers.  “Seiko…”

“My only regret is that my fight cost Tsuna his ring as well.”  Seiko stated, her eyes narrowing and she added, “So I need you to promise me something, Hibari.  I’ve never asked you for anything but I need to ask this of you.”

He stared at her in surprise and asked, “Wh-what?”

“I need you to win your battle for me.  No matter what.”  Seiko stated.  “You’re the strongest of all of us so you have to win your match, okay?”

“If you ask me to do it… then I’ll do it…”  Hibari told her, bringing her hand to his lips.

Seiko’s gaze softened as she watched his lips tenderly caress her skin.  She gently reached up with her other hand, brushing her fingers along the side of his face and whispered, “I love you, Hibari-kun…”

“I hated seeing you… hurt like that… it pissed me off so much…”

“I’m sorry.”   Seiko told him honestly.  “But from here on… you can go back to protecting me.”

“I will.  I swear it.”

Tsuna paused in front of the door to Seiko’s hospital room.  He slowly knocked and a moment later, the door was opened.  He gasped, nearly jumping out of his skin when Hibari was the one standing there.  But he should have known.  There was no way he was going to leave Seiko’s side now.  He had to admit he was seeing the prefect in a new light after seeing the way he looked at her and took care of her.

That’s what he thought of as he swallowed his fear and nervously asked, “S-Seiko-chan?  H-how is she?”

He continued to glare at him.  “Fine.”

“That’s… that’s good.”  Tsuna informed.  “Sh-she looked pretty bad.  I’m glad that… that she’s… fine…”

Hibari continued to glare at him, but after a moment a noise came from inside the room.  After that, Hibari opened the door on up.  When he stepped away from the door, Tsuna took that as an invitation to come on in.  When he did , he sat down in a chair beside the bed that Seiko was in.  Hibari occupied himself on the other side of the room.  A small smile curved his lips as he realized that Hibari was watching over her, but still giving her space if she wanted it.  When he looked back at Seiko, he gasped when her hands were clasped together.  She bowed her head and said, “I’m so sorry that you had to give up your ring!”

Tsuna’s gaze softened and then he shook his head.  “I’m only here to make sure you’re okay.  It’s not your fault that I gave up the ring, at all.  I was just worried about you getting more hurt than you already are.  I should have intervened sooner.”

Seiko glanced in Hibari’s direction, seeing him shoot a glare at Tsuna, but she ignored it.  To Tsuna she stated, “I’m glad that you didn’t.  I know I lost the battle and the ring, but I’m not upset about it.  I know the rest of the guys will win their matches and you’ll win the battles.  But I was able to actually defend myself.  Now I know that I have strength, I just have to learn how to control it.   You guys gave me a chance to discover that by letting me fight.  Yeah, I got a little beat up, but I knew I’d be okay.  So thank you.”

Tsuna sighed heavily and shrugged.  “I’m just glad you’re okay.  For… all of our sakes as well. ”  He joked.

Seiko smiled and nodded.

She got a few more visitors throughout the day, but it was Hibari that was in the room with her the entire.  When the doctor finally came in and released her, Hibari rushed through gathering her stuff and getting her back home.  The afternoon went pretty typically with them taking care of the cats and  relaxed.  As Seiko sat on the couch, she giggled as Pyro hopped into her lap and nuzzled up under her chin.  Starting to pet the little animal she made a noise when Hibari picked her up and set her down in his lap similar to how Pyro was in hers.  Only a moment later did the other fuzzball join them.

Seiko looked up at Hibari and asked, “Hiba-kun… do you think of me as a cat?”

Hibari paused before honestly answering, “Yes.  A defenseless kitten.”

She elbowed his stomach but it was almost a chuckle that left him and it made her smile.

His hands rubbed up and down her arms, hating that so much of her skin was covered in bandages.   He gently lifted her hand to his lips, kissing along each bandage on her finger.  She looked up at him, her ruby eyes shimmering with happiness.  She asked him, “Are you going to watch tonight’s fight?”

Hibari shook his head.  “It’s not yours.  I’ll probably go train.”  He paused and then asked, “Or… are you going to watch tonight?”

“I was going to, yes.”  Seiko told him, but she turned a bit in his lap so she could see him better.  “But don’t go just cause I am!  You should train more with Dino when you can.  I’ll be safe, promise.”

“I hardly trust a bunch of Herbivores to take care of you.”  Hibari told her scoldingly.  He sighed.  "But as long as you don’t intervene in the fight or anything, I suppose.”

She leaned up and cupped his cheek, giving him a soft kiss.  “Thank you, Hiba-kun.”

Sophia was sitting at the top of the hill that overlooked Namimori High.  The sun was setting and it turned the whole city orange.  It was bright just at the edge of her vision, causing her to wince just the slightest bit.  It left it warm enough t o be pleasant, but the wind was still just brisk enough to cause a small shiver.  Or maybe it was the presence that she felt that caused the soft trembling through her body.  She could hear his voice and it felt like he was right beside her.

“So… what do you plan to do from here?”

Sophia smiled warmly, nuzzling her head into her arms upon her knees.  His voice was enough to bring a happiness through her entire body.  Since meeting him in that place inside Vindice’s prison, he’d been joining her dreams and watching over her.  His personality had changed so much since their battle with the Vongola.  It was like the dark aura that surrounded him had evaporated.

“I’m going to do whatever I can to get you out of there.”  Sophia answered that voice.

There was a long sigh  from the back of her mind and she knew that it was Mukuro disagreeing with her priorities.  She teased him, “I didn’t ask for your opinion on the matter.  It’s what I’m going to do.”  She glanced to her side, almost able to see his spirit sitting beside her.  He leaned back on his arms and gave her an unsure look.

“I know that there’s nothing I can say or do to change your mind.”  Mukuro admitted reluctantly.  “I just wish you would reprioritize.”

“You’re everything to me, Mukuro-kun.  You’re my life and my reason for living.  If I just… let it go… then my purpose in life would be – “

“You serve a much greater purpose than me.”  Mukuro told her, pausing.  “I don’t know what it is, but I can just tell that you were meant for great things.  I will be beside you, come whatever may.  But know that it is your life that has great destiny bestowed upon it.”

“Muku…”

His spirit reached out and she could feel the essence of his being caress her skin.  It felt heavenly.  A surge of warmth spread through her and her lips curved upwards, reflecting the happiness that followed.  His thumb grazed her lips and she wished she could be in the same place as his body.  So she could curl up against him.  But instead, all she could do was enjoy his presence inside of her.  When she lay back in the grass, he lay down as well, close to her.  His blue eye shimmered, filling with love as it gazed upon her.  Once more, he told her, “Be safe out there, alright?”

“Of course.”  Sophia stated with a big smile.

Seiko wiggled her way into her shoes and pulled her jacket up over her shoulders.  Hibari had already left some time ago to train more with Dino.  She hadn’t realized until after he was gone, just how used to having him around she was.  Pyro and Icil were curled up on the couch, snuggling and snoozing and the only sound that could be heard was the dishwasher running.   She had spent most of her life on her own, usually living in the streets, but occasionally at her own place and it wasn’t until now that it felt… lonely.

After Gokudera’s match, she’d have to go check on Hibari and probably stay with him until he finished for the evening.

Once she headed out, she met up with Tsuna and chatted until they reached Namimori High. 

“I’m surprised to see you already up and about again, Seiko-chan.  Or rather… I’m surprised Hibari-san let you get up and about.”  Tsuna commented, looking around.  Night had settled and there were stars all through the sky, giving just enough light to be reasonable.

Seiko rolled her eyes.  “Hiba-kun doesn’t make my decisions for me, you know.  I’m my own person, Tsuna-nii.”

Tsuna looked at her in shock because of what she called him but before he could say anything, a ‘Yo’ came from behind them.  Turning around, Yamamoto, Leona, and Ryohei stood with smiles on t heir faces.  Waving at first, Ts una paused when he realized someone was missing.  “Where is Gokudera-kun?”

Yamamoto frowned and stated, “I thought he was coming with you guys.”

“He’s not here yet…”  Ryohei questioned.

“What… happened?” Tsuna asked.

“Maybe he was stopped by Shamal.”  Reborn stated.  “It’s impossible for Shamal to let his disciple enter a battle without any chance of winning.   His new move probably isn’t complete yet.”

“Then… what do we do?” Tsuna asked.

“We forfeit.”  Reborn responded.

Seiko bit her thumbnail and gritted her teeth.   Surely Gokudera would show?

Yamamoto patted Seiko’s back suddenly and asked, “So what about Hibari, is he not joining you today?”

Seiko blushed and shouted at him, “He’s training with Dino-san!  He doesn’t  _ have _  to be everywhere I am, you know!”

“Yeah… but he usually is.”  Yamamoto chuckled.

Seiko glared at him, but her cheeks were rosey at the thought.  He was right.  Hibari was always watching over her.  This did seem unusual.


	70. Chapter 70

“Today’s match is indoors?”  Tsuna asked once they were lead into a hallway.

Seiko frowned.  “But Gokudera is…”

“What could that octopus head be doing?”  Ryohei snapped.

Yamamoto was just chuckling, “He’ll show up.”

On the other side of the hall, with the Varia, Prince scoffed.  “So what if he runs away?  He’ll be killed anyway.”

The lady judge stated, “When that clock points to 11, Gokudera will be disqualified and Belaphegor will win by default.”

Time ticked by slowly as they all watched the clock, tensing up as though the end of the world was drawing near.  Seiko was so locked in on the time that when the clock blew up, she nearly flew out of her skin.  All of them looked quickly over at the culprit.

Gokudera walked up, wearing a new outfit decked with a black jacket, thick silver dragon belt with a full load of dynamite and tight black jeans.  Of course he also had a cigarette in his mouth.  He stated, “Sorry for the long wait, tenth, but I have arrived!”

The judge lady exclaimed, “Because you arrived on time, we acknowledge your qualification to participate in this match. ”

“Good.”  Ryohei shouted.

“You look well, did you oversleep?”  Yamamoto asked.

“No way!”  Gokudera yelled back at him.  To Tsuna he said, “It took a little time to prepare, sorry.”

“I see.”  Tsuna said with a smile, but then it frowned as he thought more about how the matches had gone so far and he worried about Gokudera’s safety.

Seiko threw a fist up and shouted, “Make sure you win this one for me, too, okay, Gokudera?”

Gokudera chuckled and mussed her hair, telling her, “Course I will.  I’ll avenge your loss, too, as well as secure our victory for the tenth.”

Seiko cheered happily.

“Then, we will now explain the battle field.”  The twins carried on.  “But before that, please allow me to report that due to injury, we had no choice but to make a substitution for one of us.”  The other said, “Nice to meet you.”

Ryohei grumbled, “She looks exactly like the one that was hurt.”

“I heard there are many people in Cervello that can be used for substitution.”  Reborn stated.

The females carried on, “The battlefield for tonight is the entire third floor of the school building.  Of course that includes the eastern building that is connected with this building as well.  Not only the hallway, but all classrooms on the floor are included.  However – “ In the middle of her speak, suddenly a massive wind erupted and desks and chairs went flying everywhere.  The blasted with enough force to break through the windows and outside and crumbled into the ground.

“In various places on the field, we have installed a hurricane tubine.  The hurricane turbine has four openings used for producing wind.  It’s a storm device that can blow a super strong wind randomly from the four openings.”

Ryohei shouted, “If the wind hits you directly, it’d be possible to be blown outside!”

Seiko’s brows furrowed and she really hoped that Hibari and Dino weren’t training on the rooftop.  Because if they were and he saw the damage they were doing to the school…

…They’d all be bitten to death.

“And this battle has a time limit.  Unless either of you complete the ring of storm and possess it within 15 minutes after the start of this match, the time bomb installed in the hurricane turbines will exploded one by one and blow up the entire floor.

Seiko’s eyebrow twitched.  “Oh god, we’re going to die.”  It seemed as though they were deliberately trying to destroy as much of the school as possible.

Tsuna gasped, “No way!  Then if this match’s result canot be determined, the two of them will – “

“Probably die.  That means neither of them qualified for the position of guardian.”  The females stated.

Reborn added, “In the worst case, they probably wouldn’t even care if the ring of storm were destroyed or not.  The only person that thinks the rings of the guardians don’t matter is probably him…”

“Xanxus…” Tsuna stated.

“Looks like he got serious…” Reborn muttered.

“A death match.”  Gokudera smirked.  “Doesn’t that sound interesting?”

“Be safe Gokudera-kun!”  Seiko ordered.

Gokudera nodded.

From across the hall, Prince shouted, “Don’t you want to wish me safety, too!?”

Seiko glared at him.

“Aw, so mean.”  He pouted.

“What was that sound of shattering windows just now?”  They looked at the two female judges in time to see a man grab a breast in each hand of the two women as he asked, “Is anyone hurt?”

In unison, the two girls both nailed their elbows into his head and threw him into the wall.  When the man sat up, he chuckled, “Ah, they’re good.  The elasticity is a sign of good health.”

Tsuna shouted, “Shamal!?”

Gokudera yelled, “What are you doing here!?”

Shamal chuckled and got on up, “Well, you see, I heard the sound of windows shattering and though someone might be hurt, so I came.  Though I’d see your match in jest, too.  And so, I’m on this side.”  To team Varia, he waved, “Nice to meet you, those guys over there with the mourning clothes.”

“Good, let’s start the usual before each match!”  Ryohei shouted.

Gokudera tried to avoid it, but Tsuna offered him a sad smile and stated, “Don’t say that, can we do it, Gokudera-kun?  How… do I put it… I don’t really know how to express it.  But this match relates to all of us.  I don’t want to lose anyone.  So isn’t it better… if we act as a group?”

Seiko smiled at Tsuna’s strong words.

Leona teased, “Yeah, don’t be a stick in the mud, Gokudera.”

Gokudera’s face pinched up with emotion and he shouted, “You are this considerate for the family… why didn’t I understand at all!?  Let’s do it!  Please let me!”

Just like they did every time, they huddled up into a circle an shouted, “Gokudera, fight!  Goooo!”

 When they were done, the female judge ordered, “Then the two of you, please come to the middle.” The woman carried on.  “By the way, since this battle area is too enormous, we’ve installed video cameras in every classroom.  You can observe the match at the bleachers beside the school building.  At the same time, in order to prevent interference to the match, an infrared ray sensor device is set up between the bleachers and the battle area.”

Seiko was still cheering Gokudera on as he walked up to meet Prince at the middle area.    He chuckled and teased, “That mouse on your team sure is squealy when she’s excited, huh?”

Gokudera blinked and then questioned, “You mean Seiko-chan?”

“She’s adorable all wrapped up in those bandages like that.  Like a little fawn ripe for the picking.”

“You’re sick.”  He took a step back, waiting for the announcement for the match to start.

The ladies announced, “Then for the Ring of Storm, Belphegor vs. Gokudera Hayato, begin the match!”

Gokudera started out by throwing a bomb with an extremely short fuse that blew up between them.  But as soon as he moved back, he was surrounded by knives just floating in the air.  He barely dodged out of the way as they came flying down at him.

Prince teased, “I advise you, it’s better not to play any tricks.  Do you know who your opponent is?”

Gokudera spun around towards the prince and suddenly threw a massive load of bombs at him.  Everyone on the Vongola team shouted with excitement about his completed move, but Prince just watched the bombs and casually moved out of the way.  When they were about to come down right in front of him, suddenly the wind turbine kicked on and blew all of his dynamite right out the window.

Prince teased, “As guardian of the storm, of course I’m sensitive to wind.”

Several more turbines all went off and despite that, Belphegor was able to throw a couple knives right directly at Gokudera.  He moved just in time to almost avoid them, but the blades knicked his leg as he flipped over into one of the classrooms.

“Was it a fluke?”  Gokudera asked himself.

“A prince doesn’t need to rely on flukes.  It is as simple as this.  Just read the air current of this strong wind in advance, and quietly let the wind guide the knife towards the target.”

He tossed another knife that went on a roundabout trajectory before eventually coming back and slicing the side of Gokudera’s cheek.

“Reading the air current?  That’s impossible.”  Tsuna stated, a frown on his lips.

“Making use of a situation that was thought to be a disadvantage.  He has the ability to perform this extraordinary idea perfectly.  I must admit.  He’s unmistakably a genius.”

“Don’t let him get to you, Gokudera!”  Seiko squealed.  “You can beat him no sweat!”

Prince frowned and tipped his head.  “If only she’d cheer for me instead of you.”

Gokudera narrowed his eyes.

“Do you know the purpose of the guardian of storm?”  Prince asked.   “Continuously at the heart of attack, the storm of raging waves that never rests.  I can do it… but you can’t.”  A massive smile formed on Prince’s lips.  As he spoke, Gokudera just narrowly jumped out of the way of more knives, grabbing some bombs to one hand as he evaded the onslaught.

After making a tiny bit of headway down the hall, he placed a bomb onto the wall, blowing up between him and prince.  He found a place around the corner that he was able to kneel down and regain himself, but when he prepared for an attack, another knife came by and swiped the fuses right off his dynamite.

Bel laughed.  “Hide-and-seek is my favorite.  Because I’m a prince.  Of course, you frauds would never be able to manage it.”   Move knives were slamming into Gokudera even in his hiding place.  Bel snickered, “Is it already checkmage?  Is that all you can do as a guardian of storm?  Your boss can see it too.”

Gokudera, after another brief moment, looked like he had an epiphany.  Bel unleashed a massive handful of knives and threw them all at once.  From the camera, it looked like all of them slammed into Gokudera.  But after the form crashed through the window, it turned out to be a dummy from one of the classrooms.  Gokudera lifted it up by the strings stuck to its body.  He growled, “These strings are the true nature of your technique.  

Gokudera explained Bels tricks and it looked like Gokudera was finally going to get the upperhand, but then as soon as it looked as though that were the case, one of the turbines went off and Gokudera had to jump back.  Despite that, Gokudera threw a handful of bombs.  Everyone shouted that it wouldn’t work but Shamal laughed and stated, “I made sure to train them so they would hit.”

Once the smoke cleared, it was obvious the bombs hit Bel, but he was laughing hysterically for no apparent reason.  But while he was laughing, Gokudera threw more bombs at him, but it was like Prince had become a different person.   He charged on through the explosion and ran straight for Gokudera.  He threw a few knives through the wind and it looked like they missed but suddenly Gokudera’s face began to bleed.

Seiko gasped, “What?”

Bel jumped in the air, lunging towards him with a knife in hand.  Just as he nearly came down on him, he threw a tiny bomb and then defended himself with his arms as the blast sent them both opposite directions. 

It caused Bel to start laughing about spilling more blood once again.  Meanwhile Gokudera was making his way down the hall, trying to get distance on Bel.  As they were playing cat and mouse, an announcement came on saying that the turbines would self-destruct in six minutes.

Gokudera escaped into the library and hid behind one of the shelves until Bel came in as well.  As soon as he jumped over a wind current, Gokudera threw more bombs.  But Bel threw more knives  that blew out the dynamite, causing them to fall uselessly.  

But more cuts appeared on Gokudera.  A moment later, he stopped moving completely and Bel began laughing hysterically.  It took a moment for the monitor to focus in, but when it did, they could see that he was completely surrounded by wires, cutting him off from any kind of movement.

Prince was walking towards him and it looked as though it was going to be the end of the line when the realized that there was gunpowder moving out from Gokudera.  Once the flames reached the end of the lines of powder, everything around him suddenly blew up.  Once he did that and the wires around him went slack, he hung his dynamite on the strings of his knives.  The blasts all suddenly converged and erupted in a massive plume of smoke.

Seiko let out a shout of joy.  “He won!  He won he won he won!”

Shamal smirked.  “He actually did it, isn’t that something?”

When the smoke cleared, Bel was collapsed in a pile of rubble.  Gokudera smirked.  “It’s over.”

“Incorrect.”  One of the women stated.  “Until the ring of the storm is obtained, a win cannot be recognized.  Please reunite both halves of the ring and create and complete the ring.”

Gokudera grumbled as he started towards Bel, grunting a bit as the bloodloss began to hit him and make him feel dizzy.  He reached down and took the ring from Belphegor’s neck.  “Looks like I could be useful after all.

But before he could put the ring back together, Bel suddenly reached up and grabbed his own from around his neck and screamed, “The Winner will be me!”

Gokudera gasped as he was toppled over and punched Bel as hard as he could, trying to get him off of him.  

As they were fighting over the rings, the lady stated, “It is time to start.  As previously stated, fifteen minutes after the start of the battle, the hurricane turbines will begin to self-destruct in a sequential manner.  The Library’s estimated time of destruction will arrive in about 1 minute.  Of course, the audience area will not be affected.”

Yamamoto gasped, “He’ll die with the enemy.”

“Hurry up!” Leona shouted.

But Gokudera and Bel were both rolling around, each of them gripping a half of the ring.

Shamal shouted, “Hand over the ring and withdraw!  Dying over something like this would be idiotic!  Get back here!”

“I can’t let myself lose!  With 1 win and 3 loses, we’d have our backs against the wall!  It’s a critical loss!”

“Your opponent has already gone insane!  There is no longer a match that has any meaning!  Get back here!”

“How can I come back empty-handed!?”

Seiko’s eyes were trembling with fear and worry.

“Someone who returns like that isn’t worthy of the name of the tenths right-hand man!” Gokudera screamed.  “Tenth, if I win, we will have the advantage!  Please leave it to me!  For something like that, I…!”

All of them started shouting at him to get back, that there was no reason to give his life.

Shamal insisted, “Hayato!  Did you forget what you learned before you started training!?”

“As if I could forget.”  Gokudera yelled.  “Even if I die here, I won’t withdraw!”

“That stubbornness never changes.  Those two are similar that way.”

Leona gasped when she heard a voice in the back of her head.  She quickly looked around but she was shocked to see a woman standing beside her.  She wasn’t really standing there, it was more like a faded image.  She was tall, her eyes were pointed with confidence and her long flowing crimson hair fell in perfect waves around her curved body.  Her arms were crossed under her heavy bust and she was wearing a suit like she was a business woman.  There was a smile on her lips as she watched the monitor as well.

Leona breathed, “Who…?”

Before she could finish her question, the woman walked up behind Seiko and patted her shoulder.  She whispered, “Shout, Seiko.  Don’t hold it in.”

Seiko gritted her teeth and as loud as she could, she screamed, “Gokudera, you can’t die!  None of us can die here, no matter what!  That’s what’s important!  Not the ring, it’s your life!”

Tsuna chimed in, “It’s that we can all have snowball fights and watch fireworks!  That’s why we’re fighting!  That why we became strong!  So that everyone can laugh together again!  If you die then all that no longer has any meaning, does it!?”

Gokudera seemed to flinch at these words and he quickly looked at the turbine.  In the next moment, everything was blown up and the monitors went out.

Leona was staring at the faded ghost like image of the woman hovering over Seiko.  She looked back at Leona and with a broad smile, she asked, “Do you remember what I told you?”

“The ring?”  Leona asked.

“Right.  You have to find that ring when the time is right.”  The woman explained, leaning down to Leona.  “Then when you do, give it to Seiko.  Until then, make sure she stays strong.  Don’t let her falter.”

“Who are you?”  Leona pressed.

She just let out a giggle and waved her hand.  “I’m just a friend.”  Then her image disappeared.

But when she realized Tsuna was on the ground, crying, it hit her that Gokudera hadn’t escaped the blast.

Seiko knelt down to him.  “Tsuna-nii…”

“How could this happen… why…?”  Tsuna stared in horror at the screen, his face washed with sadness.

“Look over there.”  Reborn ordered.  When they all did, they saw that Gokudera was stumbling out of the smoke.  They all rushed over to him, shouting his name with joy.

“I’m sorry, tenth.  The ring was taken.  I wanted to see the fireworks, so I’ve come back…”

“Thank goodness..”  Tsuna gasped, dropping back to his knees again.  “I’m glad…”

“But I lost!” Gokudera yelled.

Tsuna continued thanking him over and over while Gokudera complained that he wasn’t worthy of such thanks.  Seiko jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over to see Leona staring at her with shock in her eyes.  “What’s wrong?”

“N-Nothing.  I just… thought I saw something…”  Leona mumbled.

Seiko frowned.

Reborn commented, “That Gokudera managed to stay alive in the end. ”

“At the very end, he showed how much he’s grown.  There’s no way I can be arrogant enough to take the credit for that.  I’ve been completely outclassed by the Vongola’s boss.”

Gokudera got back to his feet and patted Yamamoto’s chest.  “The rest… is up to you.”

“Huh?”

“I-If I had a choice, I wouldn’t be asking you anything!  It’s just that there’s no other options left, so – “

Seiko grumbled and stated, “Hey!  Hiba-kun still has to fight and there’s whoever the mist guardian is.”

Yamamoto patted the top of Seiko’s head – like everyone else that ever existed did as well – and stated, “Got it.  I’ll win.”

As soon as he said that, Gokudera passed out, faling on his back amongst the rubble and shattered glass.  “Stop messing around!” Yamamoto ordered.

The females announced, “Since the ring of storm was obtained by Belphegor, the victory of the match goes to the Varia.”

Squallo mocked, “What a laughable ending.”

Seiko narrowed her eyes as he carried on, “With this, your lives are finally guttering like candles in the wind.”

Mammon added, “Besides, your holder of the ring of mist still hasn’t appeared.  If your contender doesn’t appear, we’ll win by default and everything will be over.”

Tsuna stiffened.  “Now that you mention it, when is that other person going to – “

“Then, I will announce the match-up for the next battle.  Tomorrow night’s battle will be the battle between the guardians of Rain.”

Leona frowned and looked worriedly at Yamamoto meanwhile Seiko cheered excitedly.

Squallo all but snarled, “I’ve been waiting for this moment.  I can finally have some real fun.  Don’t you dare run away just because you remembered the overwhelming difference in our strength from last time.  Katana brat.”

Yamamoto chuckled, “You don’t have to worry about that.  I’m so excited, I won’t be able to sleep.”

Squallo narrowed his eyes.  “Why you little…”

“Please excuse the intrusion!”

They all looked over as one of the Varia’s underlings appeared before Leviathan.  He shouted, “Someone has breached the peremeter.  The Levi Lightning unit is being picked off one by one.”

Levi narrowed his eyes, “What?”

Reborn chuckled, “All of the guardians come together in due time.”

Seiko glanced over as a body was knocked down the stairs and a moment later, she all but squealed, “Hiba-kun!”

He barely glanced at her before glaring on down the hall at the Varia.  “What do you think you’re doing in my school?”  He demanded sharply.

Seiko’s brow twitched.  “He’s so pissed…”

“Unlawfully breaking into the school and moreover, vandalizing the premises.  By reason of joint responsibility, everyon e  here will be bitten to death.”

Yamamoto pushed Seiko more into his view and Hibari corrected himself, “Seiko, go wait outside.”

Despite being terrified that Hibari was going to kill him, Tsuna couldn’t help but laugh that Seiko was the exception to all his rules.  “But he’s only angry about the school being damaged, isn’t he?”

“He really likes the school.”  Yamamoto chuckled.

Mammon asked, “Isn’t he one of their guardians?”

“Just another brat.”  Squallo informed.

Leviathan snarled, “So you’re the one who brought down all of my subordinates?”

The female stated, “You are one of the ring holders allied to Sawada Tsunayoshi?  If so, this kind of behavior is – “

“It’s fine.”  Hibari growled, glaring at Leviathan.  “I owe you anyway.”

Seiko gasped and jumpe in front of Hibari.  “Wait, you can’t do that!”

“Why not?” Hibari sharply demanded.

“I’ll put this trespasser down right now!”  Levi shouted.

Hibari narrowed his eyes, scooping Seiko up and pulling her against him and away from Levi as he turned, tripping the massive brute as he ran by.  Seiko looked down at the guy who gave her so much trouble in her fight, but Hibari had just easily knocked him over on his face.  “Wow, you’ve really gotten a lot stronger, Hiba-kun…”

Gokudera grumbled, “That idiot.  As soon as he appears he starts making a mess.”

“But he’s strong after all, he side-stepped the varia’s attack so easily.”  Tsuna exclaimed.

Yamamoto was laughing.  “He avoided the attack and protected Seiko like a pro.”

Reborn chuckled.  “That our guardian of the Cloud.  Nami High’s Disciplinary committee president, Hibari Kyouya.”

Mammon commented, “If he’s cloud, that means he’s Gola Mosca’s opponent.”

“What do you think, Mammon?” Squallo asked.

“Levi is indeed one of the Varia, although he is both slow-witted and easy to break down.  Putting that aside, however, his physical skills are quite strong.”

Squallo growled, “I could still stop him with my sword.”

Seiko was listening to the Varia and looked at the massive armor clad being in the back.  So that was going to be Hibari’s opponent in his match?  She was shaken when she heard Squallo demand, “Hey!  So how many times should I slash you open!?”

Hibari smirked, “Are you next?”

Seiko’s hands were resting on Hibari’s shoulders but she gasped at his words and shook them, “You can’t, Hiba-kun!  You – “

“I’ll just finish all of these stupid battle right here.”  Hibari snarled, setting Seiko down – behind him and away from the Varia.

“Hiba-kun!”  She whined.

Ryohei and Tsuna gasped.  “Oh no!  This is bad!”

Yamamoto trotted up to Hibari and cooed, “Calm down, Hibari.  I know you’re angry, but – “

“You’re in the way.  Don’t stand – “ Hibari took a swipe at Yamamoto with his tonfa.  “ – In front of me!”  To everyone’s surprise though, Yamamoto was able to dodge around his strike and catch the tonfa from behind him.  Even Hibari glared in surprise.

Yamamoto insisted more softly, “That long-hair is my opponent.  Please be patient a little while longer.”

“If you continue to get in the way, I’ll bite you to death as well.”  Hibari snarled, ripping away and turning on him.

Yamamoto gasped.  “Oh crap!  I made him more mad!”

Tsuna shouted, “Hibari-san, wait a moment!”

Hibari gripped his tonfas more tightly and went to take a swing when Seiko narrowed her eyes and shouted, “Hibari Kyouya, stop!”

To everyone’s surprise, Hibari stopped in his tracks.  But the surprise on Hibari’s face came from the shock of the tone Seiko took with him.  Despite her face being red and her cheeks puffed with frustration, her eyes were narrowed and determined as she growled, “If you fight here, then you’re going to break your promise.   You’ll be disqualified and we’ll lose.”

Hibari narrowed his eyes at Yamamoto but relaxed his poise and asked, “What about the damages to the school?”

“The Cervello will handle that.”  One of the females stated.

Hibari sighed.  “Fine.”  Is all he said.  But on his way to leave, he scooped Seiko back up and left with her in tow.

Squallo gave Yamamoto a few more taunts before team Varia flew off as well.

Tsuna sighed, “They left...”

“Jeez.  When Hibari went berserk, I thought for sure something would happen.

Reborn chuckled.  “Now that Hibari has agreed to help, he will be a very strong ally.  He should also be stronger from his training.”

Excitedly, Tsuna agreed.

“Him getting stronger?  Should be something to see.”  Yamamoto chuckled.

“But a guy like him who hates groups, he’s really gonna help us?”  Gokudera asked.

“You saw with your own eyes.”  Reborn stated.  “As long as Seiko is helping us, he will too.”

Tsuna nodded.  “Yeah, I’ve noticed that for a while, he seems to cooperate with what Seiko says.  If anyone else had taken that kind of tone with him…”

“They’d be dead.”  Yamamoto finished.


	71. Chapter 71

“Hiba-kun… put me down, I can walk.”  Seiko’s orders were playful and she was draped across Hibari’s shoulders with her chin resting on his head.  His arm was tight around her thighs, holding her body against his, and he gave no inclination that he was going to let go or set her down.  She supposed she didn’t mind.  It felt nice to be this close to him, to be able to wrap her arms around his shoulders as they walked.  

He growled to her, “I thought I told you no interfering with the fights.”

“I didn’t interrupt a fight.  I interrupted you.”

“Same difference.”

“No it’s not.”  Seiko stated, nuzzling her nose into his hair.  “I know that you won’t hurt me.”

His sigh grew deeper as he finally set her down, but she realized they were in front of Take Sushi.  She smiled, even more so when he surprised her by taking her hand.  He commented, “Thought you might be hungry.”

“Brilliant!”  Seiko giggled, lacing her fingers with his as they walked on into the shop.  After ordering their food, Seiko asked, “Yamamoto sure has gotten better hasn’t he?”

“I guess.”  Hibari grumbled.

“He evaded one of your attacks.  Come on, you know you were as shocked as I was.”  Seiko teased.

She continued to pester him even after they got their food and headed back home.  Once there, she took a bath like usual and got ready for bed, all except for dressing in her night clothes.  For some reason, Hibari had taken over the role of dressing her at night ever since she’d not gotten her buttons completely done one night and she imagined that irritated him.  He was buttoning up the front of her shirt as she rambled, “So Yamamoto wins tomorrow, and you win, then we just need the guy with the mist ring to show up and we’re all smooth sailing.”

Hibari looked up at Seiko and asked, “Why is it so important to you that they win?  It makes no difference to you.”

Seiko sighed, her cheeks flushing a bit with embarrassment.  “Well… I was really excited when Reborn and Tsuna invited me to join their family.  You see, I’ve always had a family, but it never felt like one.  It felt like our ties were blood and nothing more.  When I’m with all of them, and especially you, I feel… like I belong somewhere.  I feel like I’ve earned my place.  But if we lose the ring battles, then, our family will fall apart.  We won’t be a family anymore.”

“So the remaining ring battles have to be won and that’s all?”  Hibari questioned.

“Yeah.”  Seiko stated.  “But my guess is we’re going to have to do something about that Xanxus guy.  My bet is that he’s not going to be a good loser.”

Hibari stood back up straight, scooping Seiko up and placing her gently back in bed.  After changing himself, he climbed in beside of her and her tiny body instinctively rolled over and curled up against his. She nuzzled and kissed his neck and shoulder, earning a soft sound of content from him.  His arms enclosed her, cradling the back of her head and holding her lower back, causing her body to conform to his.  Placing one last kiss against his collarbone, she whispered, “I love you, Hiba-kun.”

His body stiffened once again at the words, and though he didn’t say it back, he dipped his head and kissed the top of hers in the most tender way.  That was all that she really needed from him.  His actions were louder than any words.

The next day arrived.

Seiko tried to roll out of bed, but she was locked in place.  Even while he was asleep, his grip was strong, so she ended up sighing and just snuggling closer for a while.  On her second attempt, though, he made a noise so she knew that he wasn’t asleep.  Seiko growled, “You’re not tricking me, Hiba-kun, let me up~”

“There’s no school today.”  He told her casually, not even opening his eyes.  “Sleep in.”

“We have slept in!”  She whined.

He grumbled and asked, “Are you going to the fight again tonight?”

“Yeah, of course.”  Seiko told him.  This made Hibari sigh and sit up.  He reluctantly climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

He told her, “I’m not letting the herbivores take care of you this time.”

Seiko’s smile widened as she sat there a few moments, listening to sounds of him turning on the shower before she finally left the bedroom.  She was greeted by the two anxious cats circling her feet, wanting to be fed.  She picked the  larger  one up, tickling  Icil ’s belly.  “You two have gotten so big.”   Icil wiggled in her hold and when she raised the snow white cat up, she noticed that her normally calm blue eyes were even more crystalline than usual.  Seiko pursed her lips but gasped when the fuzzball swiped out and slashed her claws right across Seiko’s cheek under her scars.  She huffed and dropped the cat out of reaction who took off running.

“Huh… you’ve never… acted like that before…”   When sh e looked over, she saw that Pyro  was just sitting there, calmly observing what took place.

Leona was staring through the glass of the window and it caused Yamamoto to stop in his tracks.  He looked at his smaller lover and asked, “What’s going on… Leona?”

Her eyes were focused on the rings, staring at each piece of fine jewelry.  They were shimmering silver around birthstone pieces.  There were a few ruby and garnet ones, but none that looked like the image from her premonition.

She jumped when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.  She quickly spun around and gasped, “Y-Yamamoto…”

“Do you want one of them?  You’re looking at them pretty intensely.”  Yamamoto told her.

Leona shook her head.  “No.  That’s not it.”  She paused and then sighed and explained weakly, “I know you have a lot on your mind right now and I don’t want to burden you with anything more, but I… keep looking for the ring from my premonition.”

“Still bothering you?” Yamamoto asked worriedly.

“The woman in it… I keep… seeing her.”  Leona admitted.  “Last night, she was there, watching the battle.  She said that Gokudera would always be stubborn…”

Yamamoto laughed.  “Well that’s not hard to guess.”  He rubbed the back of his head.  “So you want to figure out why the ring is so important, right?”  He took Leona’s hand and walked her on into the jewelry shop so they could look at more rings and maybe find the right one.

From outside the store, still standing at the glass, looking at rings, the tall woman still stood.  Her poise was as strong as before, but a trembling hand rested on the glass.   “You’re looking in all the wrong places, Leona… you won’t find it here…”

Mukuro’s spirit chuckled as it walked alongside Sophia as they walked through town.  Sophia narrowed her eyes at him and asked, “What is so funny?”

“Your friend is doing fine, minus one angry cat.  But I think that was my fault.”

“Y-You spied on her?  O-On Seiko-chan?”  Sophia demanded.  

Mukuro arched his brows in curiosity, stating, “You said you were worried about how she was doing, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t mean for you to… spy on her.”  Sophia informed.

“It puts you at ease, doesn’t it?”  

“That’s beside the point.”  Sophia informed, pushing open the door to her apartment.

“What a cute little place.”  Mukuro told her, his spirit dropping down on the bed.   “But it is small.  No wonder you stayed with me at Kokuyo so often.”

Sophia’s cheeks reddened a bit as she unpacked the bags of groceries she had purchased.  When she was halfway through, she could sense his spirit growing restless and then the softest tickle ran down her back.  She looked over her shoulder to see Mukuro hovering there, his hand extended out to her, as though combing his fingers through her hair.  He whimpered, “I wish I could touch you, Sophia.  I miss you.”

Her eyes widened at his confession and her cheeks darkened in color.  “I know.  But at least… this way, you’re always with me.”

“You don’t mind that I possessed part of your mind without your permission?”  Mukuro questioned.

“At first, I was uneasy.”  Sophia stated.  “But… you seem different now.  You seem… more like the Mukuro that protected me long ago.  When I was weak and defenseless and you were always at my side.  It feels as though we’ve returned to that.  I know you’re not physically here with me, but the fact that you’re watching over me and I can talk to you… that’s enough for now.  Until I get you out of there.”

Mukuro smiled softly and leaned on the counter.  “You have much to prepare for then.  And a lot of growing.”

Sophia instinctively reached out to him, frowning when her hand went through where his chest should have been.  Mukuro’s face reflected hers.  But she sighed and closed her eyes.  “I will do whatever it takes.  I swear.”

After a moment Mukuro asked her, “Do you want to go visit your friends?”

“Not yet.  It’s been a long journey.  I want to relax for the evening first.  I’ll find them tomorrow.”  Sophia admitted, kicking off her shoes and laying on the bed.

“Dino-san!  What are you doing here?”  Seiko asked, excitedly opening the door to let the older blonde-hair boy in.

“I thought I’d come visit the little cutie and see how she was doing.”  He stated, scooping her up and swinging her around in a hug.  After a moment though, he felt a dark presence in the air and looked over to see Hibari with his tonfa held up, glaring at him.

Seiko giggled and hopped out of Dino’s arms.  She excitedly asked him, “Are you going to see Yamamoto’s fight?  That’s where Hiba-kun and I are headed.”

“Oh?  Hibari’s going?  Here I didn’t think he liked large crowds.”  Dino chuckled, earning another glare.  But it was short lived as Hibari held up a jacket and ordered Seiko back to him.  He chuckled as the small girl hurried over to him and slipped her arms into each sleeve before he zipped her up and tucked her wild bangs away up into a hat that would protect her from the cooler, harsher winds.

Dino sighed a bit.  The wild child really did seem so much calmer with the mousey little girl around.  He couldn’t believe that someone like her was able to tame someone like him.  He asked, “Mind if I join along?”

“Yes.”  Hibari stated shortly.

Seiko shook her head.  “No, it’s fine.  We’re all going to the same place anyway.”

Dino expected Seiko’s objection to be answered with anger from Hibari but when there was none, he just nodded his head and they headed out.

Nearing 11 pm, Yamamoto casually strolled towards Namimori, but Leona was getting nervous beside him.  He was going to be fighting one-on-one with the same guy that devastated them all the first time.  Would he really be okay?

“Looks like no one is here yet…”  Yamamoto commented.

Leona’s grip on his hand tightened and she whispered, “You can still withdraw you know?  It’s not too late to turn back.”

“I don’t want the team to lose cause I was a chicken.”  Yamamoto stated, still wearing a big, adorable smile.

“But… it’d be worse to lose your life…” Leona stated.  “In these battles, we can’t help you.  Seiko and Gokudera were both nearly killed and Ryohei is injured.  I’m worried that you – “

She gasped when he pressed his lips to hers suddenly.  His hand rested on her shoulder in an affectionate way.  His kiss was so powerful it nearly blind-sided her and she stumbled a bit, but he caught her, holding her close.  He whispered to her, “I will show you how strong your man has gotten, okay?”

Leona’s face was awash with crimson and she nodded her head. “R-right.  Okay Yamamoto…”


	72. Chapter 72

All of the Vongola team had arrived, with the last being Dino, Seiko, and Hibari.

Yamamoto waved with that big stupid grin, “Hibari-san, you’re joining us this evening?”  He was answered with a dark glare.  But he brushed it off and added, “I’m glad.  I got the whole team’s support.”

A moment later they hear a loud noise and looked up to see Squallo land on the roof and shout, “So you didn’t run away, Katana brat!  I’ll make fish kebab out of you!”

“I won’t let you.”  Yamamoto informed, drawing his sword and holding it out.  “I’m going to take you down with this katana.”

Tsuna asked, “So you’re not going to transcend style, but with the Shigure Souen style?”

Yamamoto nodded, “If dad says it’s invincible, then why wouldn’t it be?”

Squallo laughed and shouted, “Invincible?  Idiots who call themselves invincible, I’ve already buried countless hundreds of them!”

“Is it really the wrong one?  It feels just like standing in the batter’s box with the last chance to score.  You’re so worked up you’re getting chills.”

Leona smiled and touched his arm.  “You’re going to do great.  You’ll win for sure!”

Tsuna nodded.  “If it’s Yamamoto, he’ll be able to find a way.”

Finally the judges showed up and announced, “This evening’s battlefield will be the school’s building B.  Please start making your way towards building B.”

“The school’s building again?  What kind of field is it this time?”  Tsuna asked aloud.

Hibari grumbled under his breath, but he took Seiko’s hand and started walking towards the building.  Everyone else followed, including Gokudera who just barely made it in time, but covered with bandages from last night’s battle.  When they reached the building, Hibari’s eyes narrowed.

Seiko looked at the window and doors that were all covered in a plastic seal and she asked, “Why did they seal everything up?”

There was only one single door that wasn’t barricaded that Reborn found.  Upon looking in it, it appeared as though the building had been mostly demolished, but water was pouring down through the levels and beginning to flood the very bottom floor they were on.

Seiko patted Hibari’s arm in hopes of calming him down as he stood, twitching with anger.

“This is the battlefield for the battle of rain: Aquarion.  It’s special features consist of the three-dimensional structure and the large amount of water cascading through an enclosed space.  The water flowing from the tank on the top floor will deepen from the 1 st  floor upward.  So long as the battle continues.  The water level will continue to rise.”

“Just like a sinking ship.”  Ryohei informed.  “Little by little, finding footing becomes harder as well.”

“Furthermore,” The woman continued, “The collecting water has been specially modified to match the consistency of seawater.  When the water level reaches a predetermined height, a ferocious sea beast will be released into the arena. ”

“Isn’t that interesting?”

They all looked up to see on one of the upper floors, the rest of Varia had joined Squallo.

Bel chuckled, “The amazing prince woke up in the morning with the ring in hand.”

Gokudera snarled, “That bastard.”

But they were most surprised to see that Xanxus was standing along side the rest of the team for the first time.  He growled, “Pathetic dogs should just disappear.  You worms can get rid of this trash for me.”

Squallo snarled at him as he trounced away.

Reborn stated, “Xanxus was serious.”

Dino scolded, “Don’t scare them before the match has even started, Reborn.”

“Seems everyone has come to watch your match, Yama-kun.”  Leona stated.

“Now that we’re at 1 win and 3 losses, we are out of options.  In more ways than one, this is a battle worth watching.”  Reborn stated.

Ryohei cheered, “Alright!  Since that’s how it is, let’s all join the huddle!”

They all gathered except Hibari who glared at them.  Ryohei started to pressure him to join the huddle, but Seiko fanned her hands and told him to just let it go.  Once they were huddled up, they cheered, “Yamamoto, fight!”

“Then would the guardians of Rain please gather in the center.  In addition, due to the submersion, the audience area will be outside the school building.  The match will be projected onto a giant screen set in the wall.  All persons other than the guards should vacate the premises.”

Everyone wished Yamamoto good luck, while Leona gave him a peck on the cheek and went off with the others.  Her blue eyes were filled with worry as she watched him go.  She was afraid of this battlefield almost as much as his opponent.  But he’d be okay.  He had to be.

Seiko offered her own montage of excited cheers for him as Hibari all but dragged her out of the building.

The announcers carried on.  “There will be no time limit.  Now for the ring of Rain:  Superbi Squalo vs. Yamamoto Takeshi.  Begin the battle!!”

As soon as the match started, Squalo flew at Yamamoto full force who narrowly ducked under his slashing blade.  But despite ducking, there was a blast from the sword, firing a round of bullets right at Yamamoto.

Tsuna shouted, “That’s right!  That weapon!  From the katana’s blade!”

Gokudera finished, “There’s stored gunpowder.”

Yamamoto narrowly missed it and said, “Yikes.  The daily image training I did after losing to you paid off.”

Squalo scoffed and ran after Yamamoto once again, but halfway there, he disappeared.  But he reappeared flying towards Yamamoto from behind.  Yamamoto turned and blocked the sword of Squalo’s just in time.

He shouted, “If you thought that was my real strength, big mistake!!”

The blade once again, while clashed with Yamamoto’s threw another round of bullets.  The water around both of them exploded.  But it erupted in an usual way and Leona gasped, “That’s Shigure Souen’s 7 th  defensive form, spraying rain!”

Yamamoto shook the water off his blade while Squalo, instead of being afraid, laughed and ran right back towards Yamamoto, draggin his sword through the water.  He slashed it, throwing the bullets at him again.  Yamamoto was backed into a corner this time, though, so he place his sword in the water and slashed upwards, causing a wake to follow through the air behind the blade.  It caused and entire defensive wall to go up around Yamamoto, protecting him.

Once both the participants backed away from each other, Squalo, still grinning, shouted, “Hey brat!  Why didn’t you attack after defending?  You’re really a complete idiot!  Just now, you gave up your last chance at wounding me!”

To everyone’s surprise though, Yamamoto just laughed back.  “When you say last… you sure do talk big, don’t you?  Let me first make this clear.  This isn’t all there is to the Shigure Souen style.”

With his grip tightening on the sword, this time, Yamamoto charged for Squalo.  Once he reached his enemy, Yamamoto swung.  Squalo blocked with his sword, only to discover that there was nothing to block.  Yamamoto, in the process of swinging, threw his sword into his other hand, slashing right under Squalo’s defense and cutting his stomach.

But as though he weren’t wounded one bit, Squalo shot back out of the water, shouting curses at Yamamoto once more.  He taunted Yamamoto for a while before growling, “Other than that, there’s something else I’m not getting.  And that’s during that swing just now.  Why did you use the back of your sword instead of your blade.”

Yamamoto smiled, “Well, that – I did it to win against you, not to kill you.”

Leona’s eyes widened with fear.  “This is not the time for that, Yama-kun…”

Yamamoto’s words pissed off Squalo though.  He shouted, “Aren’t you underestimating me too much?  Looks like you still don’t understand the kind of situation you’re in!  I’ll make it so you can never open that conceited mouth of yours again!”

Squalo charged and Yamamoto responded by raising  column of water.  But Squalo was able to do the same thing.  Hunting through the lack of visibility,  Sqalo located Yamamoto first and took a hard swing.  It sliced open Yamamoto’s shoulder, spraying blood everywhere.

Squalo snarled, “Hows that? Hurts, don’t it?  Let me tell you one last piece of news that’ll make you despair.  I’ve completely seen through all your techniques.  This shigure souen style of yours, is one I already defeated long ago!  To defeat the man called emperor of the sword, and his mastery of the sword, I searched for strong opponents.  Then, I heard of a vanishing style in the east, a sword of murder that was said to be completely flawless.  That was the Shigure Souen style.  I found them.  The successor to the style and his two apprentices.  They used the same eight forms as you.  But it was just some imitation of ancient sword technique!  I experience each and every form!  It didn’t do them any good!  I sliced them to ribbons!”

Yamamoto got back to his feet and chuckled, “I’ve never heard of such a thing.  The Shigure Souen style I was taught is flawless and invincible.”

Getting even more pissed off now, Squalo and Yamamoto charged each other head on.   They engaged in a battle of swinging swords, shooting bullets and throwing water.  One of Squalo’s swings caught a column of concrete.  Some of those shards penetrated through the water and sliced Yamamoto’s face, one catching his eye, causing blood to drip into it and he had to keep it closed tight.

Squalo teased, “Don’t stop moving!”

Yamamoto tried using his Early Summer Rain technique on him again, but this time Squalo saw it coming and blocked his sword with his own blade.  When Squalo went to counterattack, Yamamoto stood still with his defenses wide open.

Yamamoto was barely able to slide out of the way of Squalo’s strike.  Leona’s heart was racing like never before.  In fact, her heart was beating so wildly she felt like it would escape her chest.

Mammon explained, “What Squalo just unleashed was Attacco Di Squalo.  A concussion-type sword attack that by means of a violent shock to the entire body, creates a strong shockwave that numbs the opponents nerves.  The katana-wielded one who hit his own arm in order to forcibly disperse the effects isn’t bad.  But attacco di squalo’s impact is stronger even than that of having your bare hand hit by a bat.  He won’t be able to use that hand for a while.”

Squalo yelled, “So how is it!?  You’re looking a little under the weather!”  

Trying to evade Squalo, he made his way up out of the water, to the top of a small rubble column.  He shook his arm and breathe don his hand, trying to get feeling back.

But when Squalo went slashing wildly, he destroyed the column he was standing on and began slicing him up in several places as he fell.

Leona screamed, “Yamamoto!!”

Where Yamamoto landed was a small piece of rubble that was still sticking up out of the lower floor that was filled more with water.  Yamamoto chuckled, “Isn’t it just one-sided like this… If dad knew I lost, he’d probably be mad…”

“Still wanna go?”  Squallo asked, looking down on him.  “With that strange Shigure Souen style you’re so proud of?   How about it?  Since you’re the successor, how about I show you all eight forms.  In the end, when the 8 th  form, Autumn Rain, is released, you can just tragically disintegrate.”

Leona’s eyes widened a bit in shock.   _ Autumn Rain?  What’s that? _

Seiko asked her, “Leona?  Are you okay?”

“Your boyfriend’s technique is even more powerful than you realize.”

Leona’s eyes widened when she heard the voice again, but this time, she didn’t have to look to see that it was the crimson haired woman again.  “How do you know anything about it?”

The woman smiled a sad kind of smile before she shook her head.  For some reason whenever she was around, everything felt depressing and empty.  But she calmly stated, “You don’t need to worry about Yamamoto.  He will not lose today.”

“How do you know?  Who are you!?”  Leona demanded.

Leona was surprised when she looked back at the screen that Yamamoto was smiling.  Squalo shouted something into the camera about them enjoying Yamamoto’s last moments, but he was climbing back to his feet.  Squalo ordered, “Lie back down!  I’ll break you that way!”

“I can’t do that.”  Yamamoto told him.  “Because the Shigure Souen style is completely flawless and invincible.”

“You trash!  I’ll start out by cutting out that insolent tongue of yours!”  

As Squalo charged him, Yamamoto charged back, readying his sword to use another technique.

“Looks like you don’t have any braincells!”  Squalo yelled. “I know that stance!”

Squalo went to use another of the Shigure  style moves, but when Yamamoto reached him, his hit landed perfectly, awing a shocked audience.

Furious, Squalo threw himself back up and screamed, “You!  Did you use a style other than the Shigure Souen style?”

“No.  That just now was also Shigure Souen.”  Yamamoto clarified.  “The 8 th  form, pouring rain was created by my dad.”

“I see.  It’s a successive sword style.”  Reborn explained.  “It’s likely that Yamamoto’s father and the success that Squalo defeated learned the first seven forms from the same master.  Afterwards they each created their own eighth form.  Successors to the Shigure Souen style carry on the forms handed down by their predecessors.  They then create new forms to pass on to their own apprentices.”

“But this way, if each instance of succession branches off like that, wouldn’t there be countless new forms created?”  Leona questioned.

“IT’s exactly the opposite.  The fact that the style hasn’d died out by now is something of a miracle.  It’s an all-or-nothing severe form of succession.  Change conssits not only of progression but also of regression.  To become the strongest of them, you become the target of those who are strong.  It’s just like pursuing yourself.  Therefore the Shigure Souen style is a style that, when successors with the requisite spirit and talent can no longer be found, is fated to disappear from this world.  It is a sword of ruin.”

“Hey brat.”  Squalo snarled.  “I really didn’t think you’d get this far.  So I don’t get that pathetic strike with the back of your blade just now.  You’re making a mockery of a genuine match.  Or do you have some other form that I haven’t seen before?”

“No… it sucks, but the first seven forms are all the same ones you know.”  Yamamoto stated.

“Looks like you’re dead for sure!  Having tasted that pouring rain once, I’ve already seen through it!”  Squalo told him.

“Then I guess I’ll show it to you.  Shigure Souen style, 9 th  form.”  Yamamoto stated.

“He’s going to use his own form…” Leona stated, hope filling her eyes.  She naturally turned, looking at the faded woman beside her, who was just smiling with contempt.  What did she know that everyone else didn’t?

Squalo scoffed, “What the hell is that ridiculous stance?  Are you planning to play baseball?”

“Unfortunately, I’m not much good at anything other than baseball.”   Yamamoto confessed.

Squalo began to swing his sword at a speed that broke the waters, clearing a path for him straight to Yamamoto.  But as Squalo neared him, Yamamoto suddenly disappeared.  He came up on his side, “9 th  offensive form!”

Squalo smirked, but his hand must have been fake because it flipped around backwards on his arm and stabbed into Yamamoto from a strange angle.  Leona had just barely screamed when the water image disappeared, revealing that it wasn’t Yamamoto at all.  The real Yamamoto came up on him from a completely different angle.

Yamamoto slammed down into Squalo with the back of his sword, nailing him right on the top of his head.  Yamamoto shuffled around a moment and clipped the two pieces of the ring together.  At the camera he offered them a big smile and said, “I won.”

Leona let out a huge breath of relief while Seiko jumped up and down excitedly.

All of team Vongola looked over when Xanxus began laughing about how Squalo had outlived his usefulness.  They then started exchanging questions about who was going to be the one to kill him.

The woman exclaimed, “No one can enter Aquarion at the moment.  The depth of water was reached and beast was unleashed in the water.”

Yamamoto asked, “Wait a second.  What’ll happen to Squalo?”

“As the one who was defeated.”  The woman explained, “Squalo’s survival is no longer our responsibility.”

Yamamoto sighed.  “I thought so…”  He reached down and picked Squalo up from the ground and began carrying him on his shoulder.  The shark was coming closer to where they were because of the blood, but it plowed into a support beam, causing the floor to give and Yamamoto and Squalo dropped down nearer to the deep water.

Yamamoto gasped when Squalo ripped away from him and snarled, “You’re tainting my honor as a swordsman.  Your skills aren’t bad but you should quit being so naive.”  In the next moment, the shark lunged, swallowing Squalo in one bite.

Yamamoto dropped onto the rubble and cursed under his breath.

Tsuna was shaking where he stood.  “This kind of ending… It’s not right…”

It made it even worse that Xanxus was laughing from his chair about Squalo being nothing more than fishfood.  Seiko’s hands clenched into fists and she turned, every ounce of her ready to knock the shit out of him, but Hibari caught her arm and yanked her back, forcing her to stay put.  “Don’t.”  He ordered under his breath.

“But he - !” Seiko started.

“His time will come.”  Hibari told her plainly.

“The next match.”  The female announced.  “Will be a battle between the guardians of the mist.”

“The mist?”  Seiko asked.

Tsuna gasped in horror. “Reborn!  It’s here!  What should we do?  The Mist guy hasn’t shown up!”

Reborn just smiled knowingly.


	73. Chapter 73

“You seem restless today.  More so than usual.”

“Do you really think you should be out of the hospital?”

“How can we trust someone we don’t even know exists?”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?  Are you going to start something?”

“I’m just worried about you.”

“It’s fine, I’ve been out a couple days, it doesn’t even hurt.”

“You’re not telling me the whole truth.”

“Shouldn’t you just go lay down, I can take care of it.”

“Don’t get an attitude with me!”

At a fated intersection, there crossed a pharmacy, a playground, and a jewelry store.

“Yama-kun, listen to me please.”  Leona begged, trotting to keep up with Yamamoto’s longer strides.  Not only was he taller and had longer legs, but he also had the ability to move much more quickly because of all his baseball years.

“I’m okay, Leona.”  Yamamoto insisted.  “It barely even hurts.  It was just a bunch of scratches.”

“Just a bunch of scratches!?”  Leona repeated in shock.  “Those were more than scratches!  Don’t be ridiculous!  There were times where I though he was going to kill you!”

Yamamoto laughed.  He  _ laughed _ .

“This isn’t funny, Yamamoto!”

“Do you have any idea how cute you are when you’re all worried like this?”

“Stop that!”  Leona ordered, her face red.  “I don’t want to be cute when I’m seriously concerned about you.”

“The fight is over.  The doctor released me.  Stop stressing over nothing.  In fact, we should both be thinking about this battle tonight.  If the ring of mist will even show up.”

Leona frowned at his words.  He had a point.  So far, still no one had any idea who the ring of mist bearer was.  And they were down to hours before his match.  

“Maybe we could convince them to let the cloud and mist battles switch.”

“I doubt it.  They were pretty uptight about Gokudera making his deadline.”

“I know…”

“Anyway.  We haven’t looked at this jewelry store yet.  So let’s go in here, okay?”

“Okay.  Then can we please go back so you can rest until tonight’s match?  Since I know you’ll want to go?”

Yamamoto smiled and opened the door, leaning to her and kissing her nose affectionately.  “Deal.”

“Ken and Chikusa ran off.”  Sophia stated as she walked down the road.  She was following Mukuro’s spirit that was walking anxiously through Namimori.  She could feel his anxiety even in the pit of her stomach.  What was he getting so excited about?

“That’s fine.  They don’t need to follow us.”

“Where are we going then, Muku?”  Sophia asked, trying to keep up with him but he didn’t have to avoid everyone that was plowing into her as they walked.

“You’ll see.  This is for both of us.”

“Huh?”  Sophia asked questioningly.

Sophia nearly missed it when Mukuro stopped walking suddenly.  She looked back at him and he flicked his head towards the playground and ordered, “Wait here.  You’ll see soon enough.”

“Okay…”

“A couple days without it isn’t going to kill me, Hiba-kun.”  Seiko growled as the two of them walked into the pharmacy.  When Hibari had asked her about the ointment for her eye injury, he’d grown furious when she mentioned that it was out.  So they spent the entire time walking down the street arguing, loud enough that onlookers had shied away from them.

But now, as he walked up to the counter, he ignored her completely.  He threatened the pharmacist to hurry up or he’d bite her to death.  Within minutes they had her a new bottle of ointment and he shoved it into her hands and ordered, “Don’t forget to put it on this time.”

Seiko glared at him and hissed, “What is with you?  They’re pretty much healed anyway.  It is not a big deal.”

“It is!”  He snapped back at her as they walked back out.

“No it’s not!” She yelled.

They had just rounded the corner of the building when he turned to her and grabbed her arms, but his head was tipped down, his bangs covering his face.  He whispered, “Would you please knock it off.  I just want it to go away, Seiko.  If you stop using it, I’m afraid it never will.”

Seiko’s gaze softened  and she sighed.  She had to remember that even though this intimidating idiot had an attitude problem, every attitude with her was for her own good.  She gently whispered, “I’ll put some on as soon as we get home.”

There was a rare smile that came to his lips before he pressed them to her forehead.  It made Seiko smile in return  and she went to reach for his hand, only to find out he was already taking hers as he turned her and headed away from the pharmacy.

As they passed the playground, though, Hibari’s pace slowed dramatically and he glanced around.  Seiko was about to ask him what was wrong when she felt a familiar, strong electric pulse run through her.  She gasped inwardly and held her head with her free hand.  It was an overwhelming feeling of needing to run.  To run away as fast as she possibly could.

But her gaze focused on the playground they were walking by.  She was sure she saw it this time.  The tan and blonde hair of her friend, but someone crossed her vision and it was gone.

Hibari looked at her questioningly.  “Seiko?”

“I thought…”  Her eyes narrowed and she shook her head.  “We should hurry home.”

He nodded his head.

Sophia let out a sigh once  Hibari and Seiko were out of sight.  Mukuro lingered right beside her, a smile on his face.  “You see?”

“Leona is near here as well.  I could sense her energy, too.”  Sophia stated.  “But… Seiko has a few more cuts and bruises.  Her fight must not have gone as well as I’d hoped.  So then, you came here to see Hibari Kyouya, didn’t you?”

“It’s terrifying to think he has become even stronger than when the two of us fought.  He is, in fact, a scary person.”

“If you fought again, would you lose?”  Sophia asked him.

Mukuro chuckled.  “Of course not.  He’s still a brainless idiot.”

“If you say so.”  Sophia’s eyes narrowed glancing towards the jewelry store as Leona and Yamamoto walked out.  To me, it’s scary that Seiko has gotten so strong.  Leona did well training her.”

“But now, we will see how strong you have become.”  Mukuro stated, pleasantly.

Sophia frowned a bit.

“Seiko-chan!”  Tsuna waved as he trotted up with Reborn.  But he flinched when Hibari glared at him.  He gasped.  “H-Hah.  Hi, Hibari-san…”

Seiko giggled as Tsuna asked, “You guys are here early?”

“We were doing some running around.”  Seiko explained.  “And we wound up here.  So we were just waiting.”  They were all standing in the gymnasium and Seiko informed, “This is where the Mist ring battle is going to be held.”

A few moments later, Ryohei, Yamamoto, Leona, and Gokudera all walked in.  Just like everyone else, they were covered in bandages.  Leona was holding Yamamoto gently by the arm, her eyes filled with concern.

Gokudera stated, “The mist guy… we still have seen hide nor hair of him…”

“Really?”  Tsuna frowned.

“Does he exist?”  Yamamoto asked.

“The enemy is already here, too.”  Gokudera added, looking across the gym.

Mammon was standing by the judges while the rest of Varia were all at the back near the stage, waiting for something to happen.

Seiko asked Reborn.  “It’s almost time for the match and we don’t know who it is.  What do we do?”

“Our guardian is closer than you realize.”  Reborn stated.

Seiko frowned, but it wasn’t but a moment later that a familiar overwhelming sensation ran through her.  It felt like a straight shot of fear and sadness and it blindsided.  She gasped and gripped her chest, but at the same  moment the gem began to glow through her shirt.

Leona felt the same sensation, but it was coming from her gem on her inner thigh.  It couldn’t be seen through her shorts, but she felt the sting and could almost feel the sensation of it glowing as well.

Gokudera started to ask what was wrong with the two of them when the door opened.

Leona started to look at the new arrival when something else caught her eye.  The faded woman.  She was watching the door as well, but her face was written with surprise.  Or maybe horror.  She whispered, “That… shouldn’t be happening so soon.”

“What are you talking about?”  Leona asked, but just like always, she wasn’t given an answer.

When Ken and Chikusa walked through the door, everyone gasped in horror.  But Hibari grabbed Seiko and pulled her back, raising his tonfa.  He snarled, “You have some nerve showing your faces here after what you did.”

Memories of Cressa flashed before her eyes, causing the glow in her gem to increase and flicker out of control.  The only thing keeping her grounded was Hibari’s firm hold on her arm.

The others all stiffened and got defensive but Reborn ordered all of them, “Would all of you calm down?  They’ve brought the guardian of the mist with them.   They’re on our side now.”

“No.”  Hibari snarled.  “I will bite them to death, right here.  Right now.”  His eyes glanced over his shoulder at Seiko as though expecting her to stop him but she didn’t move.  When he realized that she wasn’t protesting, He tensed up as though preparing to attack.

“Hibari, wait.”  Reborn ordered.  “If you’re patient, you might get to fight Rokudo Mukuro again.”

Seiko’s eyes widened and her grip on the back of Hibari’s jacket tightened.

Gokudera gasped, “What are you saying Reborn-san!?  These guys are… don’t tell me the guardian of the mist is …”

“The one they brought with them…” Yamamoto repeated.

“It’s not true… the guardian of the mist is…

Rokudo Mukuro!?”  Tsuna shouted.

The figure behind the two of them stepped up as she giggled, “Sorry, I hope I’m not a let down, but I’m not Muku-kun.”

Seiko’s eyes slowly widened and she stepped out from behind Hibari.  “Sophia!”

Sophia smiled as she held her scythe to her chest and stated, “Sorry I didn’t get back with you sooner, Seiko-chan.  I was…finding my own path, so to speak.”

“I don’t care, you’re alive!”  Seiko shouted, running up to her.  Hibari twitched, wanting to grab her when she ran by the two who had once mercilessly attacked her, but when her arms wrapped around Sophia, he relaxed.

“Sophia-sama, you’re our final guardian?” Tsuna asked.

“I sure am!”  Sophia stated.

Leona trotted up to Sophia as well and all three of them flinched.  Leona grumbled, “I’m never going to get used to that.”  Turning her attention back to Sophia, she asked, “So what took you so long to get back?  And how did you wind up with a ring?”

“I dunno.  It was sent to the hotel I was staying out when I went to Vindice.”  Sophia stated.

“I knew it!”  Seiko shrieked.  “Thank goodness you’re okay.  Did you see Mukuro?  He’s not with you so I’m guessing you weren’t successful.”

“Well… it’s complicated.”  Sophia admitted.

“We don’t have time for complicated.  It’s your match.”  Leona stated.

Tsuna looked down at Reborn and nervously asked, “Reborn… for the most part… I’ve understood your reasons for picking the ring-bearers… but…why Sophia-sama?  She’s an acquaintance of Seiko-chan, not me.  I’ve barely spoken two words to her.”

“That answer will come soon enough.”  Reborn told him.

Ryohei shouted, “Alright time to huddle!”  

They started to gather up but Sophia waved her hand.  “No way, you losers have at it.”

Leona pouted, “But Sophia-chan…!”  She was distracted from Sophia’s response by the faded woman.  She was starting intently after Sophia and she began to mutter something.

All she caught was:

“She is the only one who can stop Xanxus.”

Leona’s eyes widened.  “What are you saying…?”

“What’s who saying?”

Leona jumped when Yamamoto suddenly asked her a question and she shook her head.  “Nothing…!  I’m just… rambling to myself! Haha!”

Seiko jumped up and down, waiving her arm.  “Kick his ass, Sophia!  It’s all you!  If you win this match then the ring battles are ours!”

Hibari looked at her curiously.  “My match will be after hers.”

“Yeah I know.”  Seiko stated with a pure-hearted smile.  “But there’s know way you’ll lose, Hiba-kun.  So it’s smooth sailing from here!”

His cheeks turned the softest shade of pink as he looked away.

The announcers began, “The time the battlefield will be the entirety of the gymnasium.  The objects in the building can be used in any way you desire.  Furthermore, this field has not been outfitted with any special installations, there is no need for perplexity.”

“Why?”  Tsuna asked.

“The specialty of the guardians of mist means they do not need anything extra.”  Reborn explained.  “Creating something from nothing and nothing from something; thus bewildering the enemy.  Rendering the family’s true form intangible.”

“The audience area has also been set up in a designated space within the building.  As the battle of the storm, infrared-triggered lasers have been installed.  Please be careful.  Then, the battle of the mist: Mammon vs. Sophia, let the battle begin!”

Leona looked at Seiko.  “Does… Sophia even know how to cast illusions?”

Seiko frowned.  “I… don’t know any of Sophia’s abilities.  I’ve never seen her fight.”

Sophia gripped her scythe and she couldn’t help but laugh sardonically.  “Think I’m going to really piss him off when he’s expecting an illusion user.”

Mukuro, from behind her stated, “Don’t worry, I’ll be right there with you.  I’ll work illusions through you.”

“Well yeah.  That’s why Reborn and Iemitsu chose me, right?”  Sophia asked, charging for Mammon.  She jumped into the air and slashed her scythe at him, but he suddenly disappeared.  “Shit.”  Sophia cursed.

Mukuro told her.  “He’s an illusion. He’s coming from behind!”

Sophia turned just in time to be wrapped up in a mass of tentacles that wrapped around her torso, but they put the most pressure around her neck.  Glaring down at him, she wrapped her leg around the tentacles and tried to pry them off but they only got tighter.

“Calm down, Sophia.”  Mukuro ordered.   “You’re fighting an illusion user.  You can’t fight off something that isn’t real.  You have to break it with your mind.”

“My… mind?”  Sophia gritted her teeth.  “Fine…”  She closed her eyes and listened to Mukuro’s soft words, ushering her to break free of the spell.  By listening to them, she was able to convince herself that nothing else existed but him.  “Muku-kun… I am strong…”

He smiled softly down at her.  “I know you are.  Show them all.”

“Much too weak.”  Mammon growled.  “You won’t even make a good side-show.”

“You’re right.  Because I’ll be the mother fucking star.”

Mammon gasped and spun around, seeing that Sophia was standing there.  “What!?  I didn’t see you cast an illusion!”

Ryohei gasped, “The girl disappeared and reappeared!”

“How…?  Did that happen?”  Gokudera demanded.

“I can’t even tell what’s going on in this battle.”  Tsuna stated.

Sophia once again tried to swipe at him, but he flew over to the other side of the gym.  He snickered.  “Oh, good.  You’re more or less a worthy opponent.  Then, I can use that to my heart’s content.”  As he turned, chains dropped out of his cloak and he ordered, “Let’s go Fantasma.”  Suddenly the frog began to morph and change shape as well.  It moved, turning into what looked like a halo around Mammon’s head.

Reborn’s pacifier began to glow and he stated, “Just as I thought, that is an Arcobaleno. ”

Tsuna looked at him questioningly.

Reborn explained, “Viper of the Indigo Pacifier.  It’s said that he’s an illusionist and the only one among the Arcobaleno who possesses psychic abilities.”

“Like… ESP?”  Gokudera asked.  “That kind of occult?”

“I heard he was missing in action, but I didn’t think he was still alive.”  Reborn carried on.  “I’m not sure, but it seems the pacifiers didn’t light up till now because of that chain-like implement; it seems to have sealed the pacifiers powers. ”

Mammon snarled, “Foolish baby.  Like you would understand.  It is a byproduct of research.  Unlike you, I am never negligent  of the efforts to lift the curse .”

Mukuro narrowed his eyes.  “I see, so this is an Arcobaleno. ”

“What does that mean?”  Sophia asked.

“I’m not positive.  I don’t know much about them.  But I do know they are strong and it will take all that we have to bring him down.”

Sophia tightened her grip on her scythe and snarled, “No matter who you are, I won’t lose!”  She charged right for Mammon, but this time, as she drew closer, she tossed her weapon down and began unzipping her hoodie that she’d been wearing.  After she shed it, she revealed a lime green mid-drift top that exposed her waist, and her shorts hung very low on her hips, revealing the glowing green gem on her hip.

Every looked expectantly at Seiko, except Yamamoto who was looking at Leona and must have known about hers.

Tsuna asked, “What is that?  It looks like the one you have Seiko-chan.”

“They’re… similar.”  Seiko answered him.  “But mine is a fire element and hers… is…”

“Earth.”  Leona answered.  “She controls earth.”

Sophia jumped up into the air, fanning her hand over her hip and her gem began to glow.  When it did, a rock shot up that she could land on and then she flew on it right at Mammon.  He dodged to the side, but she moved her hands again, and earth broke through the floor of the gym and shot up, circling around and constricting him.

Mammon collapsed to the ground and sent out a wave of energy that broke the rock, but Sophia came down, trying to slam a kick into him, but he rolled to the side, avoiding it.

Mammon stated, “It’s about time I use my power now, too.”

Sophia began to flick her hands, throwing smaller rocks at him rapid fire.  But each time one came nearer and nearer to him, it was frozen in mid-air and dropped to the ground.  She growled.  “How can he stop real objects with illusions?”

“That’s the power of his illusion technique.”  Mukuro explained.  “Do not get flustered.  Remain calm. ”

Mammon was all but laughing.  “The art of illusion seizes control of the person’s perception – that is to say it infiltrates the brain that governs their five senses.  The stronger the illusionist’s abilities, the more complete the infiltration.  Their illusion’s rate of success is also heightened, and its hold over reality stronger.  Thus, in the illusionist’s case, if their illusion is successfully countered with an illusion it means that control of their own perception will be completely snatched away.”

Mukuro gasped.  “Sophia!”

Sophia looked down, seeing that ice was climbing up her legs.  She narrowed her eyes.  “Bastard.”

“How is it?”  Mammon demanded.  “the abominable power of the arcobaleno?  Well then, how about you reveal your true identity now?”

Sophia’s eyes widened at his accusation.  Could he see that Mukuro was fighting through her?

Mammon continued, “No matter what you have in mind, it’s already too late.  Because you are already a denizen of my world of illusions.”

Sophia growled in the back of her mind.  “Earth isn’t any good against an ice element.  If only I was fire like Seiko-chan…”  The ice was climbing further and further up her body.  “Muku-kun… I think… we should.”

Sophia’s eyes widened suddenly when she felt a warmth envelope her.

Seiko stared at her hands and she could feel that her gem was glowing even brighter than it usually was.  So bright in fact that she and everyone else had to shield their eyes.  A trickle of red colored energy was leaking off of her body and Seiko whispered, “What is going on?”

Leona’s gaze turned to the woman beside her who just laughed softly.  “The real game begins…”

“What game!?” Leona shouted.  “Start answering my questions!  Who are you what do you want!?”

“The game… that you’ve been playing.”  She answered simply.  “Starting today… the elements begin to come back to life.”

“They… what…?”

Sophia was in shock as the warmth spread through her and the ice melted away, turning into a puddle of water at her feet.  She stumbled back and Mukuro’s sprit tried to catch her, cursing when he remembered he didn’t truly exist here.

Sophia sat on her ass a moment, staring at the melted water.  She breathed.  “That doesn’t make sense!  Elements don’t help each other!  The fire spirit would never – “  Her gaze slowly turned to Seiko who was beginning to return from her bright glow.  Sophia trembled, “Kasei… submitted to Seiko’s will…?”

Sophia gasped when she was blind-sided by another illusion and she was thrown into a wall.  Mukuro hurriedly told her, “I know you want to fight this on your own, but let me take over.  My illusions are stronger than his!”

Sophia nodded her head.  “I trust you Muku… remember your promise to me though.”

“I will never hurt your friends again.  I promise.”  Mukuro told her.  “But I won’t let him hurt you anymore Sophi-chan!”

Sophia reached out to him, a smile on her lips.  “Win this for us and for  my Kasai no Sozokujin…”  When their hands touched this time, a bright light appeared around her body.  As the light grew, though a mist began to surround her.

Tsuna gasped and shouted, “H-He’s coming…!”

“Who?” Yamamoto asked.

“It’s… Rokudo Mukuro!”  Tsuna announced.

Sure enough, only a moment later, Sophia’s body transformed, completely possessed by Mukuro.  Once he appeared though, wind whipped around everywhere, strong enough to send Mammon flying back and away from him.

“You shouldn’t show off so much, Arcobaleno.”  Mukuro stated darkly.

Tsuna was trembling.  “Mukuro… he’s come back…”

“It’s been a while…”  Mukuro stated.  “But do not worry.  I’m under strict rules that I cannot harm any of you.  For apparently it will displease  _ Kasai no Sozokujin _ .”

Tsuna blinked.  “Who is that?”

Reborn smiled and tipped his hat as he teased, “You should know your family better by now, no-good Tsuna.”

“Huh!?” Tsuna shouted in surprise.

Mammon lifted himself back up.  “Rokudo Mukuro… I was wondering where I’d heard that name before.  Now, I remember.  About a month ago… someone attempted an escape from the Vendice prison.  The person’s name was Rokudo Mukuro. ”

“He broke out again?”  Tsuna asked.

“But it should have been over when the escape attempt failed.”  Mammon stated.

Mukuro chuckled.  “The information net of the Vongola’s elite special assassin squad Varia isn’t that well informed, after all.  I am here, aren’t I?”

“What a troublesome guy.  Alright, let’s clear things up.  You’re merely an illusion created by that girl, right?”  Mammon growled, throwing out an illusionary gust of ice, but Mukuro remained unaffected.

Sophia’s spirit asked him, “Aren’t you cold at all?  It’s freezing!”  She looked down to see ice climbing up his body now as well.  “Muku!”

“I’m not so good-natured that I would let myself lose to an illusion created by an illusionist.”  After a moment, Mukuro was frozen solid.  Mammon mocked, “You’ve been unmasked.  The one who’ll be smashed into pieces should be the body of that girl just now, right?”

As Mammon drew near, the right eye of Mukuro began to spin and suddenly a column of lava went up, engulfing Mammon and then turning into vines that wrapped around him, constricting him.

“Those are lotus flowers…”  Gokudera stated.

“Just who is an illusion?”  Mukuro demanded.

Mammon was trembling now.  “This power…!  The pain!”

“This is Tsuna’s mist guardian, Rokudo Mukuro.”  Reborn stated.

“But then… where is Sophia now?”  Tsuna asked.

“Sophia and Mukuro cannot be considered separate beings.  Because there is Sophia, Mukuro can exist.  Because there is Mukuro, Sophia can live.  Had you paid attention in your battle with Mukuro before, you would understand their relationship better.”

Mukuro chuckled.  “If you don’t hurry up, Arcobaleno, I’m going to wrap things up, you know?”

Mammon finally freed himself from the flowers and then began rapidly multiplying through the area.  But as he did, his eye spun again and he was able to knock out all of the copies easily using his own strength.

Mammon shouted, “An illusionist who resorts to hand-combat is heresy!  I denounce you and your reincarnation cycle rubbish!”  This made Mukuro snicker and Mammon weakly continued, “Humans will repeat the same life many times in infinite cycles.  That why I must keep hoarding my money!”   The frog thing over Mammon’s head began to spin and the area around all of them turned and warped with it.

Seiko felt dizzy and began to stumble but Hibari wrapped his arm around her, stabilizing her.

Mukuro laughed, “A greedy ARcobaleno!  How interesting.  But when it comes to greed, I won’t lose either.”  In the very next moment, the warping world was engulfed in flames and spewing lava.  In the next moment, all the lava and fire was completely iced over and Mukuro charged towards Mammon.

Before he reached him, Mammon multiplied over and over and flew towards him, but he spun his staff around, slicing them down before they reached him.  But then Mammon summoned a massive blackness that grew and then engulfed him entirely.  But then it was blown away by the same lotus flowers Mukuro had used before.

In the next moment, Mukuro opened his hand as Mammon disappeared and revealed that both halves of the rings were in his hand.

Gokudera gasped, “He won…!”

“He was totally overpowered…!”  Ryohei added.

“I just have to rejoin these rings, correct?”  Mukuro asked.

“Not so fast!”

They all looked over as Mammon reformed and everyone gritted their teeth.

Mammon shouted, “I was just playing with you!  I have yet to show you the full extent of my powers!”

Mukuro calmly responded with, “You know this very well don’t you? What it means when your illusionary powers are countered by another’s.  It means that you have completely lost control over your own perceptions.” 

As he spoke, Fanta wrapped around Mammon’s neck and began to strangle him.  Mukuro continued, “Come.  Shall I show you what this thing we call power really is?”

Suddenly the illusion was shattered and everyone was falling into a black abyss.   Out of instinct, Yamamoto grabbed a hold of Leona and pulled her close, the same way Hibari wrapped his arms around Seiko.

Mukuro shouted, “How does it feel, Arcobaleno!?  This is my world!!”

The abyss morphed and was suddenly pushing itself into Mammon’s mouth and he expanded until he blew up.  Mukuro calmly stated, “The reason you lost was because you had me as your opponent.”

Finally the illusions gave way and it returned to Mukuro standing in the middle of the gym.   Mukuro held his hand out, the mist ring completed in his glove.  “Is this acceptable?”

The announcer stated, “The mist ring now belongs to Sophia.  With that, the winner of this battle is Sophia.”

Sophia was standing beside Mukuro and all but squealed like a fangirl.  “I never realized just how powerful illusions could be.  You’d never used them on me and I wasn’t with you when you beat someone with them.  That was… amazing.”

“So then… Viper was…” Gokudera asked.

“Ripped to pieces.”  Bel teased from the other side of the stadium.

Tsuna gasped, “You didn’t have to go so far!”

Mukuro glared back at Tsuna, “Even now you’re still showing sympathy for the enemy.  Just how naïve can you get, Tsunayoshi?  There’s no need to worry, though.  That baby managed to escape.  From the start, he had every intention of reserving enough energy to escape. He’s a shrewd one, that Arcobaleno.”

Xanxus was glaring at Mukuro.  He stated, “Gola Mosca.  After the contest battles are over, eliminate Mammon.”

In response, Gola let out a bunch of steam from his weird looking mask.

Mukuro narrowed his eyes.  “My my, you really are the dark side of the mafia, aren’t you, Xanxus?”  When Xanxus ignored him and just glared, he added, “Even I would feel awed at this terrifying scheme you’ve thought up.”

“Mukuro…” Sophia started to scold.

Mukuro sighed.  “But I have no intention of poking my nose into your business.  Because I am not such a nice human being.  Just one thing, though.  The other candidate for the successor, though smaller and weaker than you, is not really someone you should trifle with.  For your own good.”  He turned and started walking towards the Vongola.

Gokudera whipped out his bombs.  “Don’t you dare come over here!”   Tsuna shrieked at his reaction.

Mukuro smirked.  “It is good to be vigilant, but I have no intention of colliding with the mafia either.  I have only agreed to become the mist guardian because of a particular someone’s insistence that she free myself from Vendice.  Alone, I fear for her safety, so teamed up with you, she’d be better protected.  Not only that, but because of said female, I am sworn not to hurt any of you for fear of pissing off the Sozokujin.”

“Sozo… what?”  Tsuna repeated.  He shook his head.  “In any case, thank you.”

Mukuro started to say something before his eyes became droopy.  “I’m tired now…  You had better, watch over Sophia…”  His body began to drop before it changed back to Sophia’s and she stumbled.  Once she regained herself she smiled brightly.  “Look!  I did it guys!”  She held up the mist ring.

“That Mukuro was quite reckless.  To expend so much power to transform himself into reality.  He probably won’t be able to come over again for a while.”

Sophia nodded.  “Yeah, I can’t even sense him right now.  So he must have withdrawn back to his body.”

Seiko trotted up to Sophia and asked, “But he’s not forcing you, right?”

Sophia shook her head.  “Since you convinced me to stand up to him, he’s been helping me.  It’s weird to explain… but it’s like he really has changed.  Now he’s so open about helping me and worrying about me…”

“It’s not hard to explain.”

Leona didn’t look at the woman this time as she spoke.  But she kept talking.  “While Mukuro sleeps, Sophia needs to reach Xanxus.”

Leona’s eyes widened.

She wondered just how much she should trust this woman who gave her little answers for her questions.

The announcers cut into all the conversations.  

“Since the results for both sides are three wins each, we will continue with the next contest battle. It is the battle between the cloud guardians.”

“Tomorrow will finally be the last card in the contest battles between the guardians…”  Gokudera stated.

Seiko trotted up to Hibari and smiled.  “Which means we’ve already won, right?”

Hibari smirked and mussed her hair.  “Of course.  I will bite him to death in no time at all.”

Reborn glared at Xanxus.  “Oi, Xanxus, what are you going to do?  If Hibari wins the next fight, the ring count will be four against three in our favor.  Even though you have gained the sky ring, the de cision  was that Tsuna’s side will win.   When the time comes, you better be prepared to admit defeat as promised.  You will abdicate all rights to be successor.”

Xanxus smiled broadly.  “Of course.  I have always respected the Vongola spirit.  I will honour the promise of the battle.  If Mosca really loses the cloud battle, I will let you people have everything.”

Seiko felt a cold chill run down her body as Xanxus’s confidence in Gola’s ability to win.  He looked strong, yes, but… Hibari was the strongest.  He couldn’t lose.  He can’t lose.  She gripped his sleeve tightly, but his glare was focused on Xanxus and Gola.

Gokudera smirked and stated, “Not that I like you, Hibari, but I’m not concerned about us losing that match.”

“Don’t be naïve.”  Reborn snapped.  “That Xanxus dared to say something like that means he has every confidence that Gola Mosca will win.”

Hibari glared at Reborn but Seiko looked at him fearfully.  For Reborn to say something like that was terrifying.

Tsuna took one look at Seiko’s face and scolded Reborn.  “You can’t say something like that!  Hibari-san will – “

“I will win.”  Hibari stated plainly.  “It doesn’t matter what any of you think.  I will bite him to death and win.  Because I promised I would.”

Seiko’s eyes sparkled with happiness.  “Hiba-kun…”


	74. Chapter 74

The tonfas fell from Hibari’s grip.  Seiko’s eyes widened as she watched Hibari collapse before her very eyes.  Her tiny body quivered with fear as Gola Mosca advanced towards Hibari who was no longer able to move, but Gola was ready to kill.  She let out a horrified scream with his name on it.  It raised it’s automotan hand, ready to deal the final blast.  Without remorse, Xanxus ordered, “Finish him.”

With tears in her eyes, Seiko screamed, “Hibari!  No!!!!”

Seiko flew up out of bed, gasping and with tears streaking down her face.  She panted, trying to catch her breath, but her body was shaking so terribly.  She realized she was in bed now though and that it hadn’t really happened.  She looked over to say something to Hibari but her eyes widened when she realized he wasn’t there.  Now panicking, she flew out of bed and threw open the bedroom door.  But he was right there.  Standing before her and he was fine.

More tears escaped her eyes and Hibari all but threw down the tray of breakfast he’d made and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in tight against him. He harshly asked, “Why are you crying?  Who will I – “

“Hibari-kun…”  Seiko whispered against his shirt.  “I’m scared.  I know that you can’t lose but… He was so sure…”

Hibari tipped her chin up and ordered, “Don’t act like an herbivore.  I promised you I would win.  Therefore, I am going to.”

“Is it really so simple to you?”  Seiko asked, her breath catching in her throat.   “You just say so, therefore it is?”

Hibari sighed and led her to the kitchen where he grabbed a towel and started wiping off her face.  “I can’t break a promise I made to you.  You will always trust my words, understand.  So trust them now.  I’m not concerned about this battle.”

Seiko stared at him in awe, but she caught his hand when it came near the left side of her face.  “Stop!”

Hibari stared at her shock not sure what she was suddenly reacting to.  But she was staring at his right hand intensely as it hovered over her left cheek.  “Seiko…?”

“I…”  She swallowed hard.  “I can… I can see your hand.  It’s faint and blurry but… I can see it.”

Now Hibari was frozen solid.  “Then… your vision is beginning to return…?”

“Y-yes…”  Seiko told him, temporarily forgetting all about her fears.  “It is…!”

Suddenly Hibari scooped her up and kissed her passionately.  The kiss was almost so strong that it hurt, but more than that she could feel his desperation turn to relief in the same way that hers had.  This had to be a good sign.  This meant that good things would come.  It had to.  He held her like that, his arms all but trembling and it was that very moment that she realized that her sight almost meant more to him than it did to her.

When he finally pulled away from her lips, he rested his forehead on hers and ever so softly, whispered, “I love you, Seiko…”

Just like always, the words filled her with warmth.  A warmth unlike any she’d ever felt before.  She gently ordered him.  “Make it home safe from this battle tonight, Hibari.  No matter what.  So that we can celebrate.”

He smiled, but it was almost a sarcastic kind of smile.  Like he was telling her that he didn’t like following orders, but he would do anything she said, kind of smile.  But it surprised her when he knelt down to one knee and kissed her knuckles.  It surprised her.  It felt almost like a knight acknowledging his queen and it sent a surge of happiness through her.

He was right.  By simply giving her his word, she believed in him.  His word would grant him victory in tonight’s fight.

He whispered, “Your wish is my command.”

“Listen up, people!”  Gokudera yelled.  “No matter what happened, we have to win!”

Yamamoto laughed.  “Oi, what are you talking about?  The one fighting is Hibari.”

“What’s the point in getting worked up?”  Ryohei asked.

“You think I don’t fucking know that!?”  Gokudera screamed.  “The boss is counting on us, so he didn’t have to be here.  Like hell we’re going to allow a defeat on our watch!”

Leona giggled.  “Weirdo.”

They were all gathered in front of Namimori, waiting on the call for the match.

Gokudera yelled at him, “An oaf like you would never understand in a million years!”

“I don’t get it either, but I’m all fired up now!”  Ryohei shouted.

“Why?”

They looked over as Seiko, Hibari, and Sophia walked up.

Yamamoto joked, “Well, here’s the main star of today.”

Hibari glared and stiffened.  “Why have you all gathered here?”

Seiko looked up at him and said, “They want to support you like we’ve supported everyone else.”

Hibari glared at her and then looked at them, scowling, “You’re an eye sore.  If you’re not gone in the next second, I’ll kill you.”

Ryohei screamed, “What the hell did you say!?  You just pissed me off something fierce!”

“Now now, let’s just all calm down.”  Yamamoto tried to coo.

They all looked over when the monsterous being that Hibari was going to fight dropped down from the rooftop.  A dark smirk came to Hibari’s lips as he said, “So that’s the one.  All I have to do is bite you to death.”

They were taken to the courtyard for the final battle.  But it was surrounded in barbed wire and there were guns and all kinds of things pointed at the center.  Seiko frowned, even more afraid than she was before.  She gripped his sleeve tighter but she gasped when he picked her up by the back of her shirt and walked her over to Yamamoto and Gokudera.  He set her down and ordered them, “Watch her.  And don’t leave her with the one that turns into Mukuro.”

Sophia gasped and shouted, “You ass!”

Hibari made his way into the battlefield despite Seiko’s protests.

“This is the field for the cloud guardian’s battle.  The Cloud Ground.   The mission of the cloud guardian is to be the aloof, drifting cloud who protects the family from an independent standpoint and who nothing can ever bind.  Therefore we have prepared the most extreme field for him.  The field is surrounded on all sides by barbed wire, as well as eight automatic batters that will shot at any mobile object it detects.  Furthermore, there are countless pressure-sensitive mines buried under the ground.  Once activated, an alarm will sound followed immediately by an explosion.”

Ryohei shouted, “What the hell!?”

“If you’re scared, run away.”  Leviathan ordered from where the remaining Varia lingered.  “Just like your boss did.”

Bel chuckled.  “And send the cute little mouse over here.”

Seiko blinked.  “What mouse..?”

Gokudera shouted, “Up yours!  The boss didn’t run away asshole and stop talking about Seiko-chan like that!”

“What?  Me!?” Seiko growled.  “How did I get labled like a mouse?!”

Gokudera futzed.  “Well you see, when you get excited, you squeak a lot…”

Seiko squeaked, “I do!?”

“See, like that.”  All the boys stated simultaneously.

Seiko blushed darkly.

Yamamoto added to the Varia.  “It’s just, there’s no need for Tsuna to be here.  Because Hibari is our Ace.  He won’t lose.”

Seiko smiled more and more, remembering the promise he made her.  But when she looked up at the battlefield, he wasn’t even looking at Gola.  He was glaring across the field at Bel instead.

“Your ace, huh?”  Suddenly Xanxus started laughing.  “I’m definitely looking forward to this!”

To Seiko’s surprise, when they did the huddle, it felt too weird and small without Tsuan helping in.  But at least Sophia was with them now.  As the match came close to starting, she was standing between Gokudera and Sophia, but he picked her up and placed her between him and Yamamoto.  “Gokudera!!!”

“I don’t wanna get bitten!”  He shouted back.

The lady announcer called, “Then we shall begin.  The cloud ring – Gola Mosca vs. Hibari Kyouya.  Begin the battle!”

As soon as the battle began, the back of Gola’s suit opened up and jetpacks ignited and he flew across the field suddenly, straight at Hibari who just stood there.  It raised its arm to fire a round of shots at Hibari.  But in the blink of an eye, Hibari tore right through the suit, breaking it in multiple places, ripping off its arm and leaving it a pile of mess on the ground behind him.

Hibari clicked the two pieces of the ring into place.

Seiko, as well as everyone else stood dumbfounded for the longest time.   They weren’t sure what to think.  But a broad smile split Seiko’s lips.  She knew it.  He was the strongest there ever was.  She should never have doubted his word.

He walked by the announcer lady and dropped the ring in her hand.  “I don’t need this.”  He casually stated.

Seiko gasped and shouted, “Hiba-kun you need to keep that!”

He paused, glaring at Seiko and then the woman he just handed the ring off to.  “Give it back.”  He ordered sharply.

Confused beyond belief, the woman handed him the ring back.  He turned, looking over at the Varia and ordered, “Now, you.  The one sitting over there.  Come down here.”

Seiko’s eyes widened when she realized that Hibari was calling out Xanxus.  Why!?  Then she remembered mentioning that they would probably have to fight him as well.  Was he doing this for her sake?

She started towards the battlefield, “Hibari-kun, stop!”

But Gokudera grabbed her before she’d made it too far and quickly scolded, “I can’t let you interfere, I don’t want to die.”

“Let go of me!  He can’t fight Xanxus alone!”  Seiko shouted.

“If I let you go there, he’s going to kill all the rest of us, you know that?  You might be safe but we’re not.”  Gokudera told her worriedly.

Xanxus was grinning with contempt in his throne.

Hibari threatened, “Until I bite the king of the monkeys to death, I can’t go home.”

Bel gritted his teeth.  “We’ve lost… the ring contest battles.  What now, boss?”

Xanxus suddenly lunged out of his chair and towards Hibari, landing on his tonfa and then flipping back off to the ground.  But she continued to struggle against Gokudera’s hold.  

Xanxus laughed, “My foot slipped.”

“Right…” Hibari growled.

“No really.”  Xanxus chuckled, shifting so that a bomb went off right near them.   He jumped to the other side and said, “I only came down here to retrieve that piece of junk.  We have lost.”

Xanxus was still grinning and it was starting to piss Hibari off.  He growled, “Your face tells a different story.”  Hibari charged for Xanxus and the two of them started to engage in battle.  Or rather, Hibari was engaging Xanxus who wasn’t fighting back.

Sophia’s gaze shifted to the worried red eyes of Seiko and she felt uneasy on her feet.  Mukuro still wasn’t back yet.  He must have expanded more energy than she realized.  When the guns started firing, following Xanxus and Hibari’s movements though, she was beginning to get more nervous.  She remembered how poorly Seiko responded to Hibari being in danger before.

Xanxus, still grinning like a devil, stated, “I’m not going to raise an arm.”

“As you wish.  Anyway, I’m going to bite you to death.”  Hibari snarled.

“That brat!  How dare he mock the boss!” Levi screamed.

When he started to charge, Bel scolded, “Hold it, Sulky-face.  We’ve already lost the battle.  If we get into the fight, I’ll be seen as mutiny against the incumbent tenth boss.  They’ll have our heads, along with the boss’s.”

“You’re saying we should just let that impudent brat do as he pleases?”  Levi demanded.

“Well, he seems to be scheming something – our boss.”  Bel stated.

After a bit, Hibari slashed at Xanxus with a tonfa and Xanxus had to raised his hand, blocking the tonfa.

“Looks like you had to raise an arm.”  Hibari snapped.

Xanxus went back to dodging his attacks.  Over his shoulder he shouted, “Cervello.  Don’t get the story wrong.  I didn’t attack him at all.”

Seiko jerked against Gokudera’s arms and even started to take swings at him, screaming over and over for him to let her go.  But obviously he was more terrified of Hibari than he was her.  “Gokudera, Let me – “

They all looked up suddenly when Hibari’s tonfa was caught in someone else’s hand.  Sophia stood between the two of them, her eyes sharp as she stated, “Look, Hibari.  I know you’re anxious to finish this but there’s something more going on here.   We can’t fight Xanxus just yet.”

Hibari’s eyes only darkened and he ordered, “Get out of my way or you’ll join him.”  A smirk crossed his lips.  “In fact why don’t you let Mukuro back out and I’l bite him to death while I’m at it?”

“I can’t do that.”  Sophia stated.  She started to take a step back, prepared to fight Hibari herself if she had to when she heard a noise.  It almost sounded like a trigger firing.  They looked over in time to see a blast shoot right between them.  Sophia jumped back out shock, but the blast grazed Hibari’s leg.

But Sophia was startled when she fell right back into a set of arms.  Xanxus smirked down at her.  “What do we have here?  A damsel in distress?”

Sophia narrowed her eyes and threw a punch up, hitting him square in the chin.  “I am no such thing!  Let go of me!”

“Frisky I see…”  Xanxus chuckled more but his grip on her tightened.

Seiko screamed, “Hibari!”  They looked up to see large missiles coming at them through the air as well.  Gokudera finally let her go and she charged forward instead of backwards like Gokudera and the others.

Yamamoto had protected Leona and he hurriedly checked her over through the smoke.  “Are you alright, Leona?”

She nodded her head, gripping the front of his jacket and looking around.  “Was that Gola Mosca’s doing?”

Xanxus stood, looking around with Sophia tight in his grip.  He laughed, “What was that?  I only came to retrieve my junk, but I’ve been obstructed by their cloud guardian all this while… Now Mosca’s restraining system has been broken.”

Sophia snarled, “You lying bastard!  You planned this!  Let go of me!”

Xanxus snickered.  “I think I’ll keep you as a prize.”

Seiko finally reached Hibari who was still knelt down, his leg bleeding.  “Hibari-kun…!”  She reached out to him but he dropped his tonfas, grabbed her and they both dropped to the ground as a round of bullets flew right over their head.  He gripped her tightly to himself, trying to see through the smoke.

Ryohei shouted, “It’s shooting everywhere!  If this continues, all of us are going to die!”

Xanxus continued laughing out loud, “This is a terrible disaster!”

“He’s… laughing.”  Yamamoto stated.

“That crazy bastard… he didn’t care about the fight from the start.  He just wanted to kill everybody and make it look like an accident.  That’s why he kept provoking Hibari.”  Gokudera growled.

Hibari reached back for his tonfa and started to get back up.  Seiko gasped and all but screamed, “What are you doing!?”

“I’m going to finish that damn thing off.”  Hibari snarled, gimping towards Gola.

Seiko shot up and grabbed him.  “Stop!  You’re hurt already!   You only promised to win the fight and you did!  Please stop fighting!”

Gola Mosca turned towards them now, taking aim.

Hibari tried to push her back out of the line of fire, but she was gripping him too tightly.  “Seiko, get back!  Now!”

“No!  I’m not letting you go!”  Seiko shouted.  There were tears racing down her cheeks and her heart was pounding a million miles an hour.  “I can’t let you endanger yourself anymore!”

The gem on her chest began to glow as brightly as it did when it helped Sophia in the match.  They were both surrounded by a bright red light, but Gola had targeted and was in the process of firing.  Hibari turned to her, wrapping his arms protectively around her and placing himself between her and the blast.  Seiko’s scream was lost to the sound of explosions.

A wall of fire that was not her own was between the two of them and Gola Mosca.  When the smoke cleared from the blasts, Tsuna stood there, glaring at Gola.

Xanxus chuckled.  “So, you’re here?  But…”

Gola shot off another round of massive missiles that circled up through the air and came back down towards Tsuna, Seiko, and Hibari.

Xanxus growled darkly.  “Eliminate everything, starting with scum.  That has not changed.”

Tsuna shot up between the missiles, using his own fire to blast them all apart from each other, but some of the scrap was shot towards Hibari and  Seiko.  He, his grip on her still tight, read right through their trajectory and rolled them out of the line of fire.  He came to rest with his back against one of the pillars.  

He looked down at her and asked, “Seiko…?”

There were tears in her eyes.  “Why are you so reckless?”

“Because you are.”  Hibari retorted, holding her tightly to him, trying not to wince when his leg throbbed in pain.  He was beginning to feel dizzy.  He looked over to see Tsuna, rip right through Gola as he had done, ripping off its other arm.

Gola locked on to Tsuna and started firing all of its weapons at him.  He was struggling to avoid the hits.  Seiko started to get up.  “He needs help.”  But she gasped when Hibari had a firm grip on her wrist and wouldn’t let her move.

He grunted, “My leg hurts.”

Seiko looked down at his injury and she nodded her head, pressing her hand to the wound to stop the bleeding and tearing off part of her shirt to wrap it up with.  It wasn’t like him to ever tell her when something was bothering him.  So why was he suddenly acting like a baby?

Tsuna used the power of his gloves to fly in close and then slammed his fist right into the center port where Gola was shooting most of his lasers from.  Gola gave one last charge after landing but Tsuna stopped him with one hand and cut right through it with his other, all but splitting the machine in half.

But when he did, a body fell out.

It was none other than the Ninth boss.


	75. Chapter 75

Tsuna gasped, “What’s going on?  Why is he inside Mosca?”

Reborn landed beside him and touched his head.  “Hang in there.  I’ve seen Mosca’s construction only once.  It looks like the Ninth boss was forced to be Gola Mosca’s power source.”

“Why!?”  Tsuna shouted.

“It’s not ‘why’, is it!?”  Xanxus snarled.  “You’ve gone and killed the ninth boss.”

Tsuna was beginning to tremble and he looked at his hands.  “Me…?  I did this…?”

Seiko shouted, “Don’t listen to him, Tsuna-nii!  It’s not your fault!”

“This looks bad.”  Reborn stated.  “It’s not something we can treat with a  first aid box.”

Xanxus growled.  “Who was it?  Who struck down the old man with no mercy whatsoever?”

Seiko glared over at him, but her eyes widened when she saw a struggling Sophia in his grasp.

Xanxus continued, “Who was it?  Who split Mosca in half with the old man inside?”

Tsuna was freaking out.  “M-Me… I killed him… I…”

“No…”

They all looked at surprise when the ninth began to speak, “The one at fault was me.  We finally get to meet, Tsunayoshi…” He struggled to even cough.  “I’m sorry.  All of this happened because of my own weakness.  My weakness that…I allowed Xanxus to wake up from his long sleep…”

“What do you mean by sleep?”  Reborn asked.  “After the Cradle affair, Xanxus was cast out of the family and kept under strict surveillance by the Vongola, wasn’t he?”

“Cradle affair…?”  Tsuna asked.

“It was eight years ago – the largest Coup D’etat in Vongola history.  Because the rebel army was led by Xanxus, the Ninth boss’s son, this terrible truth was treated with utmost secrecy.  The only ones who know the truth are the family’s upper echelon, and the Vongola’s heist elite who fought in that battle.  Xanxus was stopped eight years ago.  Since then, he’d been asleep.  While his hatred and his grudge grew to frightening proportions.”

“Tsunayoshi.”  The ninth began.  “I’ve always been hearing news about you… from Reborn… about the girl you like… and your school… and your friends…You are a child… with a heart that… is really mismatched for a mafia boss.  I also know that up till now… you have never once fought in a battle willingly… You always have these lines between your eyebrows… clenched your fists as if praying.. and all that is why… I chose you to be the tenth boss of the Vongola…”

He reached up and touched Tsuna’s forehead, a dying will flame at his fingertip.  After a moment his hand went limp and Tsuna began crying, begging for him to stay with them.

Abruptly, Xanxus shouted, “How dare you kill the ninth boss!  The despicable way in which you struck down the ninth is a challenge against his own son, Xanxus, as well as the noble Vongola spirit.  No need for investigation!  The burns on the Ninth Boss’s chest are undeniable evidence!  Now that the boss has been murdered, the ring contest battle is meaningless!  For the boss, my father, and for the future of the Vongola,   I will kill you, as Vengeance.”

Gokudera shouted, “What is going on?”

“So, this is what he’d aimed for.”  Reborn stated.  “If he only won the ring contest battle and became the next boss, those who know of the cradle affair would object to his succession and would also continue to oppose him.  But, if he trapped Tsuna into the role of the villain, and attacked the ninth boss’s enemy in a battle of revenge, that’s a different matter.  He would gain absolute trust from the majority of the family.  Besides, if he could prove himself stronger than Tsuna, who was supposed to be the tenth boss, it would be further proof that he was the true heir.  In that case, he could easily eliminate anyone who opposed him.   It was all a well laid out trap.  Mosca was supposed to kill all of Tsuna’s guardians in an accident.  When that happened he knew that sooner or later, Tsuna would come and take it down.”

Tsuna was on his knees, crying.  “How could he…?  For something like that…”

Seiko’s eyes were trembling.  “Tsuna-nii…”

“Please refrain from speaking such wild conjectures out loud, Reborn.  We will officially record everything that was spoken.”

Sophia gritted her teeth and then screamed at the top of her lungs.  “This is fucking bullshit!”  she struggled to get free of Xanxus’s grip, but he was just chuckling at her efforts.  She snarled up at him, “You good for nothing disgusting waste of space piece of shit trash!  Is this seriously what you’re after.  And those stupid fucking Cervello bitches that just like to fuck up everyone’s god damned day!  I am so fucking done!  I’m done!  This is shit.  Everyone here fucking sees that Xanxus set up this whole fucking scene to kill his goddamned father in order to forcefully take the throne and create a dictatorship.  Stop being so fucking nice Tsuna!  Just kill this fucking bastard!  Because if you don’t… 

…I will…”  

Xanxus chuckled, “Oh-hoho.  Are you?  That’s cute.  You’re such a ferocious little thing.”

“Unhand me… now.”  Sophia ordered.

Reborn was glaring darkly at all of them.  To the Cervello women he stated, “Do whatever you want.  My patience has run out.  But I will honor my promise to the ninth boss and not interfere with my student’s battle.  Having said that, I don’t know what my student, who hates fighting, will do…”

As he spoke, Tsuna stood to his feet.  “Xanxus.  I will take that ring back.  You will not follow in the Ninth Boss’s footsteps.”

“Well said, Tsuna.”  Reborn congratulated.

“I’ll carve your name into Vongola’s history books, as the foolish runt who dared to defy Xanxus all by his little self.”

“He’s not alone!” Gokudera shouted.  “Our boss’s will, is our will!”  All of the guardians stood up at this, glaring at Xanxus.

In response all members of the Varia rose as well.  Bel teased, “How about it?”

Xanxus ordered, “Exterminate the traitors.”

“Hold it right there, please.”  The Cervello women cawed.  “We will be in charge of the battle for the ninth boss’s revenge.  We have a duty to oversee the whereabouts of the Vongola rings.”

“Bullshit!”  Gokudera yelled.  “You’re all Xanxus’s bitches!”

The Cervello woman held up a letter and stated, “Please watch your mouth.  We have an official decree from the ninth boss himself.  Any changing-of-hands of the rings will not be approved without our ratification.

“You forced him to sign it you dirty bastard!”  Sophia screamed.

“The winner of this battle will become the next Vongola boss.  So we declare this the sky ring battle.  In other words, this will be the last of the seven ring contest battles held over the past week.  How does that sound, master Xanxus?”

“Not bad.”  Xanxus responded.

“Then, tomorrow night, will everyone please assemble at Nami High?”

Bel laughed, “The fake got a suspended sentence for now.”  He waved his hand and teased, “Little mouse, you should come to our side before it’s too late!”

Seiko winced.  “I’m not a – “  She gasped when Hibari pulled her behind him once again.

Reborn stated.  “Tsuna is exhausted from his trainging today.  That’s good news for us.”

“Tomorrow will be the final chapter in this happy comedy.  Make sure you’re up for it.”  Xanxus ordered, breaking the sky ring back apart and tossing the other piece back to Tsuna.

A bright light appeared for several moments and when it went away, all of them were gone.

Seiko’s eyes widened and she shouted, “Sophia!”

Leona gasped.  “Why… did he take her?”

Just a moment too late, Dino and his men showed up and they hurried to get the injured out of the field.

Dino walked to Reborn and stated, “I received news from the Cedef team.  I never thought it would come to this.  Are you alright?  The damage we received is quite substantial…”

“But…”  Reborn interjected.

Yamamoto, Leona and Gokudera trotted up to Hibari.  Yamamoto asked, “Are you alright?”

Gokudera commented, “It’s not like you to be so restrained. ”

Hibari grumbled, “If this situation can draw out that herbivore’s true strength, I won’t interfere yet.”  They all glanced at Tsuna but then Hibari added.  “I will attend tomorrow, but Seiko will not.”

“What!?” Seiko shouted at him.

Gokudera put his hands up.  “She has to!  We all have to attend!”

“You can’t just decide that for me, Hibari!”  Seiko growled at him.  “That bastard just ran off with my best friend!”

He glared at her and stated, “And how many times will you run into the middle of a fight tomorrow?”

Seiko flinched.  “I…”

He put his hand between her shoulders and ordered. “Come on.  We’re going home.”

After they were out of earshot, Yamamoto asked, “Do you really think he won’t let her come.”

Leona was staring after where Seiko had been standing.  She muttered to herself.  “It seems different…”

Seiko sat on the couch’s arm, watching Hibari dress his own wound.  He’d refused to let her help him, saying that he could get it all himself.  So she sat in her shorts and tank top, face in her hands, pouting.  He glared at her and scolded, “What do you want?”

“Why won’t you let me help you?  You saw that I’m strong.  I can handle things.  You won’t even let me help you with something stupid like your injury.  You’re always taking care of mine.”  Seiko hissed.

“You dressed plenty of my wounds during training.”  Hibari corrected her.  “And you weren’t being strong, you were being reckless.”

“So were you!  Why did you attack Xanxus after you’d already won your battle!?”  Seiko demanded sharply.

He paused in wrapping the tape around his leg. He slowly answered, “I wanted to finish this stupid battle.  So you’d stop looking so worried all the time and you wouldn’t be in danger anymore.”

“Since when did I look worried?”  Seiko asked.

“You woke up crying before my match, Seiko.”  He hissed sharply.

Seiko’s gaze softened.  She wanted to be mad him so many different times, but it seems like whenever she started to, he’d stop looking her in the eye and he turned away, as though afraid of her genuine rage.  Almost like… he was scared of losing or upsetting her.  She climbed off the couch and sat down close to him, resting her hand upon his.  “Don’t you remember promising me that you’d stay by my side and protect me?”

He looked at her through suspicious eyes.  But he didn’t answer so she carried on, “How can you protect me and keep me at your side if you’re running off into battles without me?  You said your word was what was most important.  So keep it.  Protect me, Hibari-kun.  I’m safest with you, no matter where that is.”

Hibari sighed, reaching his hand out to her and caressing the left side of her face.   “You have a point.  Every time I try to keep you out of harms way, you get in more trouble yourself.”

“See?”  Seiko gave him a big smile.  “You understand.”

He kissed her gently and whispered, “Go get ready for bed.  “I’m going to clean up and head there, too.”

“Okay!”

Seiko walked into the bedroom and started pulling off her dirty ripped clothes from the battle.  She lingered through pulling them off, thinking about Sophia.  She was terrified of all the things Xanxus could be doing to her.  She wanted to save and protect her best friend.  She had to.

When she opened her eyes, her gem was glowing once again and she felt a warmth surge through her.  “I will do it.  No doubt.”

Sophia was put in chains and her back was against a wall.  Xanxus was sitting across the hall, just staring at her.  He smirked though, as though seeing her this way entertained him.   He teased her, “You said some nasty things to me back there, do you want to take them back?”

“Go fuck yourself.”  Sophia snarled, closing her eyes.  She was too angry to get her element to focus and without being able to reach her own hip, she couldn’t activate her power.  Her gem just flickered uselessly.

“Tell me, what is that emerald that adorns your skin?”  

“None of your fucking business.”

“You don’t like me?”  He laughed.

“Cock-sucker.”

“You don’t approve of my methods.” He told her.

Sophia just laughed out loud.  “Your methods?  You mean your scrambling around, begging and crying for attention?”

Xanxus’s eyes widened.  “What was that?”

“You heard me.  You were overlooked as a little boy and your ego was shot to hell.  So now you’re crawling around trying to get someone to notice you.  And then when you don’t get your way, you throw a temper tantrum like a pathetic two year old.”

Xanxus marched up to her and kicked the brick wall next to her head as hard as he could.  Some brick shards flew off and cut her skin, but she ignored it.  She didn’t flinch.  She met his rage-filled glare without showing any fear.  “See?  You’re feelings are hurt so now you’re going to scream and cry.  You’re nothing but a little bitch.”

He barked, “You don’t know anything!  I earned that title and it was stripped away from me!  Don’t run your mouth you stupid little whore.”

“Name calling?  That’s first grader stuff.”  She ignored the fact she had just called him names a little bit ago.  “Yet another sign of your maturity.  You don’t deserve shit by just screaming and crying like you are.  Learn how to be a man.”

“Be a man?”  Xanxus growled.  “Like that stupid Vongola boss you follow around?”

“I don’t follow the Vongola boss.  I don’t give a shit about Tsuna.”  Sophia told him.  “He isn’t my boss.”

“Then who?  Why are you helping them.”

“Kasai no Sozokujin.”

Xanxus withdrew and glared down at her.  “What?”

“The Heiress of Fire.”

“The fuck is that, stop talking nonsense.”

Sophia just started laughing.  “It’s not nonsense.  Most people aren’t aware of the war that is going on beneath all of their noses.  You see… the mafia is just on level of power.  There’s hundreds of levels of power, but only one level controls the fate of the world.  That’s the world itself.”

Xanxus sat down in front of her and ordered, “Keep talking.”

“The elements are living beings.  You know, fire, wind, eath, water, ice, lightning, all of those?  There’s millions of them.  And each one is protected by a family who have contracted a piece of their soul to the elements.  Through them, the elements can take on physical form.   In exchange, those who have sworn to protect it, are granted the power to use those elements.  There are sister elements like water and ice, earth and grass, but there is one element which stands alone.  Fire.  It has always been the strongest element, ruling over the others.  But when the elements suddenly started taking a downturn, the families were plunged into war.  The volcanoes erupting, icecaps, melting, global warming, all of that shit, it’s because of the war going on that none of you know about.  The elements are dying and losing their power.  I turned my back on my family because I wanted to stop the end of the world, not partake in it.  Seiko.  She’s got this… aura about her.  She can bring people together.  When I found that, I determined that it had to be her to bring the elements back together.  I will serve her and give my life for hers in a heartbeat.”

“You mean that little one that lost to Levi?”

“Huh?  She lost?”

“Yeah.  She blew up the ring and then wiped herself out.”

“She still doesn’t have control of her element. She’s only recently begun using it.  But that doesn’t matter – “

“How many people do you think will follow someone who is weak?  No one will acknowledge her.  You’re wasting your time.”

“No!”  Sophia snarled.  “People like you are wasting their time.  People like you who think only of strength and dominating others.  People like you are the reasons the elements are dying.  Humanity has lost its purpose.  It’s lost its strength.  To me… you’re weak.  You’re a weak little man hiding behind his power.  You have to show off to make it look like you’re not just a cowardly little boy hurting inside.”

Xanxus gritted his teeth, starting to feel pissed off all over again, but for some reason, it began to disappear.  He wasn’t used to feeling anything but rage.  But he had never faced someone who wasn’t afraid of him.   Who spoke to him in such a derogatory way.  He reached his calloused hand out and touched her cheek.  She glared at him a moment, but didn’t move or shy away.  His thumb brushed her plush cheek, as though he had never made contact with a human this way before.

Sophia was tense, but she didn’t yield.  A strange feeling was bubbling up inside of her at the way  Xanxus was caressing her cheek.  He was tense as well, as though controlling himself from breaking her neck.  It felt like he could at any given moment.  His hand was so large he could cover her mouth and nose at the same time and kill her without resistance.  But he didn’t, despite the way she’d been talking to him.

“So what element are you?”  Xanxus asked.

“I am Earth.”  Sophia stated.  “But I’m not an heir.  I’m just a member of the family.  Third branch, little to no relation to the king of my family.”

“So everyone is granted their rightful ownership through bloodties?”  Xanxus asked.  “You can’t fight and claim yourself the leader?”

“I could.  But I don’t want to.  Not everyone wants to be in power and wants recognition like boys with injured egos.”  Sophia barked.

Xanxus’s grip tightened on the side of her face and it caused her to tip her chin up.  “But if you want to bring the elements together, don’t you have to be a voice for your own?”

“I was shunned.  It’s too late now.”  Sophia stated.

“It’s never too late.”  Xanxus told her.  He leaned in, close enough his nose was almost to hers.  He hotly told her, “Join us.  Fight with us and I’ll make your dream a reality.”

Sophia’s eyes widened.  “What?”

“Tell me what you need.  I’ll make it happen.”  He growled.

“Why do you give a damn?  It’s not your problem.  Don’t you have your own to deal with?”  Sophia demanded.

“I want you at my side.”  Xanxus growled, suddenly pressing his lips to hers.  Sophia gasped into the kiss and tried to pull away, but there was no where for her to go.  He kissed her deeply, his hand still covering her face and neck, keeping her head in place.  She struggled for only a moment before she relaxed and even began to kiss him back.  It was a strange feeling that came over her.  It felt like she was drawing something out of him.  She couldn’t explain it, but it tasted like hate.  Hate and rage and all other things.  It felt like she was taking it straight from him.  She gripped the back of his shirt and when he started to pull away, she found herself pulling him right back in.

His vulgar hand moved down her body, groping at her chest and then her hip.  She gasped and moaned his name, tipping her head back as the sensation ran through her body.  She breathlessly told him, “N-Not there…”

Xanxus looked down at her hip curiously.  “Is it sensitive?”

She glared at him but didn’t answer.  

He asked her, “Will you join me in taking down the Vongola?”

For a long moment, Sophia thought, before her eyes narrowed and she smirked, “Of course I will.”

Xanxus seemed a bit surprised but then he smiled.  “Good answer.”  Then he asked, “Now what do we need to do to make your little dream a reality?”

Sophia’s gem on her hip was swirling with green but the faintest trace of black began to dance inside of the emerald as she answered, “We need to wake Seiko up.  She’s not ready for initiation, but she has to wake up the spirit inside of her gem.”

“How do we do that?”  Xanxus asked.

“I have a few ideas.”  Sophia answered.

There was an intersection between Yamamoto, Gokudera, and Ryohei’s house.  When Leona and Yamamoto met up with the other two, they all started walking together without exchanging a word.  It was an ominous feeling through the air and it left Leona feeling uneasy.

“Nervous?”

Leona sighed, getting tired of the agitating woman who wouldn’t leave her alone.  “Can’t you go bug someone else, stupid ghost?”

“I can’t.  You’re the only one to let me in.  So I kind of got stuck to you.”

“Let you in?”

“I’ve been trying to reach someone who could somehow communicate with me.  I found you.”

“You were in my premonition.  Now you talk to me.”

“That premonition you had was me finally getting through.”

“Can you tell me your name?”

“I… can’t.  Not yet.”

“Of course.”

They were walking down the street when there was a loud noise like a bomb blew up and it was near Nami High.  They all hurried over, meeting up with Tsuna and Reborn, facing Xanxus who stood in a cloud of smoke that felt like it was on fire.

But beside of him was…

Leona gasped, “Sophia!  You’re okay!”

Sophia nodded her head, but she had an overall dark look about her.  Before Leona could say anything the woman told her, “Do not forget that is your friend.”

“Huh?” Leona gasped.  But she looked over, seeing Hibari and Seiko walking up as well.

Yamamoto grinned, “You let her join after all.”

Hibari just glared at them.

The rest of the Varia showed up one by one as well, even those injured.

Tsuna asked, “Why bring everyone together?”

The Crevello woman answered, “Because in the sky battle, the sky rings as well as the lives of the six guardians are all at stake.”

Hibari’s grip on Seiko’s hand tightened, though she would have been the only one to notice it.

Yamamoto, too hopefully, asked, “What about Squalo?  Isn’t he here?”

The woman answered, “You know very well what the outcome of that match was.  Now, let’s begin the sky battle.”

“Wait!”  Tsuna shouted, “We have clarified!”

“If you don’t want to start, you’ll be disqualified and Xanxus will officially be given possession of the rings.”

“Bitch.”  Gokudera cursed.

Leona leaned towards Seiko and asked.  “Hey… why isn’t… Sophia coming over to us?  Why is she just standing with Xanxus now…?”

“I… don’t know…”  Seiko whispered, but a dark forboding feeling crawled into her chest.


	76. Chapter 76

“Alright.  Firstly, we will collect all the guardian’s rings.”  The woman announced.

“After we fought like mad to get these rings, we have to give them back!?”  Ryohei shouted angrily.

“If you are the true guardian, there’s nothing to worry about.”  The woman told him.  “In the end, the Vongola rings will return to their true owners.”

After going around and collecting all the rings in a couple boxes, the women stated that all the rings were officially confirmed.  “In that case, we will now explain the rules of the Sky Battle.  The sky battle will be similar to the other guardians.  One of the conditions for victory is to join the two halves of the ring.  However, the battlefield will be the entire school.  In order to watch sucha  wide battlefield, we have installed large-screen displays at the observation box as well as various other locations.  Also, the guardians will be using these wristbands installed with a camera-equipped monitor.”

“Oh it’s like a little TV.”  Ryohei stated.

Hibari took his, but he also grabbed Seiko’s before the woman could hand it to her and gently clipped it onto her wrist.  The woman ordered, “Alright, all guardians please put on your wristbands, then make your way to the respective fields of your own battles.”

Hibari’s eyes narrowed.  “Why?”

“We are not entertaining any questions.  If you do not follow the rules, you will be disqualified.”

“Damn annoying bitches.”  Gokudera snarled.

Hibari’s grip was tight on Seiko’s arm and he lowly growled, “You’re not leaving my side.”

“But I have to.”  Seiko stated.  “If I don’t, I’ll be disqualified.”

“We had an agreement.”  Hibari growled.  “You intend to break it.”

“I don’t, but we don’t have a choice.”  Seiko informed.  She frowned at the worried look he was giving her.  “Don’t worry.  I’ll go where I’m supposed to and then I’ll hurry back to your area, okay?  I promise.”

“We don’t know what they’re up to.”  Hibari growled.

Leona was frowning at Hibari and Seiko.  They all had to participate in this battle.  From beside her, the woman ordered, “Convince him to let her go.”

“What?  Me?”  When Leona turned to look at the woman, she saw her eyes were determined and confident.  For some reason, she knew exactly what she was talking about.  Glancing across the field at Xanxus and Sophia, she realized that so far… she’d been right about everything.  But what was so important about Sophia and Xanxus?

Leona trotted over to Seiko and Hibari and stated, “Hey, I’m an observer in this battle, so trust me if anything happens, I’ll intervene okay?”

Seiko’s brows furrowed and she puffed her cheeks.  “No!”

“Fine.”  Hibari growled.  “She’s your responsibility until I reach her.”

Leona saluted him.

Ryohei turned to the others.  “This is the only time we can do it then.”

“Eh?”  Tsuna asked.

“Circle rally, right?”  Yamamoto chuckled.

“Let’s all get fired up!” Gokudera yelled.

Ryohei looked at Seiko and Hibari and glanced at Sophia way over by Xanxus.  He didn’t understand why the girl wasn’t rejoining them either, but she was still on their team.  He told them, “You guys can just stay where you are, okay?  We’ve revised it with the 10 meter-rule, so you guys are in, too.”

Seiko shook her head and trotted over.  “I’m gonna join!”  She reached them just in time to join between Tsuna and Leona and cheer, “Sawada fight!”

They all started to disperse but Hibari caught her again before she left.  His gaze was stern and he whispered, “Be careful… understand?  If you get hurt, I will bite you to death.”

Seiko giggled and leaned up, kissing his cheek.  “You be safe, too, Hiba-kun.  I’ll hurry back to you.”  She trotted off, but despite her acting so cheerful, he felt sick to his stomach.  He couldn’t protect her from so far away.  And he didn’t know what was going to happen, so he had no idea what kind of danger he was just letting her walk into.  But it didn’t matter to him.  He swore to protect her and that’s what he would do.

When Seiko reached her battle area, she looked up at the tall pole that was hovering over them.  Despite her gaze on it, she saw that Leviathan was glaring deadly at her.  She felt anxiety settle in and she touched her hand to her gem.  If there was a chance they were going to fight, then she needed to invoke her flame spirit now.  She listened as the women explained, “We’ve set up a pole at each of the battle fields.  The top of each pole contains the ring of the same type.”

“We’re scrambling again, then.”  Gokudera cursed.

“You’re free to do so, if you can.”  They stated.

Hibari looked down at his watch as a buzz went off on it and he suddenly felt a prick into his skin.  He glared at the watch wondering what they’d just done.

Seiko shook her hand, but when she did, little tiny leaps of flames bounced off her fingertips.   “What was that…?”

“Just then, all the guardians were injected with a poison administered from their wristbands.”  The judge explained, “The poison is called the death Hitter.  Once administered, it will paralyze the victim’s nerves instantly.  Even standing up will prove difficult.  Then, a burning pain will spread through the body, increasing gradually until 30 minutes later…the victim will die.”

Tsuna shouted, “This is they sky battle so why do they have to be involved!?”

“Because the sky is the mission of the boss.  The sun, lightning, storm, rain, mist, cloud.  He influences all of them.  He understands and accepts all of them.  That is the sky’s mission.  In this battle, the lives of all the guardians are entrusted into the hands of the boss.  There is only one way to stop the progress of the poison.  That is to insert the matching ring into each guardian’s wristband.  Once the ring is inserted into the indentation, it will activate the mechanism to administer the death hitter’s antidote stored in the wristband.”

Reborn informed, “So, this battle is not only for the sky ring, the guardians’ rings have also become a crucial element.”

“Exactly.  Therefore, the condition of victory in the sky battle is simply this: You must acquire all of the Vongola rings.  Use this chain to collect the full set of the rings.”

Tsuna panicked, “Alright, I get it!  Let’s hurry or everyone will…”

“Very well.”  The judges stated.  “One last thing.  Once the battle has started, any outside interference from nonparticipating personnel is forbidden.  That includes any special bullets.”

“Understood.”  Reborn stated.

Before the battle even started, Xanxus charged at Tsuna and punched him so hard he went flying into a building.

Xanxus chuckled.  “Let’s hurry and get started, isn’t that what he said?”

“Yes…” The judge stated, “But that attack on Sawada was…”

“My bad.”  Xanxus mocked.  “Did I get him before he was shot with his special bullet?”

Reborn laughed.  “How foolish.  Who do you think you’re dealing with?”

Tsuna erupted from the pile of debris in dying will mode.  Reborn told him, “Tsuna, Xanxus is not an opponent you can fight half-heartedly.  If you’re thinking about saving your six guadians first, you’re going to lose your own life.  First – “

“I know.”  Tsuna interrupted.  “I’m going to put this guy away first.”

Leona gritted her teeth from where she stood.   She wasn’t going to be able to help Seiko after all.  And her body is so tiny… she was succumbing to the poison quickly.  On screen, she could see that the small girl was grabbing at her neck, trying to breathe.  “Seiko-chan…”

Sophia gripped the ground tightly as she tried to force her body to move.  “Dammit all… those wretched bitches…  They planned this… to suspend all of us… I have to… get to Seiko…”  She groaned in pain.  “She must… wake up… today…!”

“You’re going to put me away?”  Xanxus laughed.  “With that level of power from last night?”

Tsuna growled, “Do I look the same as I did last night?”

The others who had joined to observe were led to the observation box at the back of the school building.  Just like the other battles, they were cut off by infra-red sensors.  They then announced, “The sky ring – Xanxus vs. Sawada Tsunayoshi!  Battle start!”

“Just as I thought, it looks like nothing has changed.”  Xanxus mocked.

Tsuna looked as though he was going to charge straight at Xanxus, but he was fast and came up on his left side before he knew it.   Tsuna swung his arm to unleash fire on Xanxus, but he blocked it with an elbow, which Tsuna caught, defending himself.  While Tsuna readied himself for a counter strike, Xanxus flipped around and kicked him as hard as he could in the gut, sending him flying once again.

Xanxus snarled, “Is that it?”

Tsuna shot right back towards him, his fist reachout, but Xanxus easily grabbed it and snarled, “You heard me; you’re already dead.”  Energy collected into Xanxus’s palm.

Reborn muttered, “This guy is trouble.”

Tsuna used his own fire glove to propel himself up and out of the way of the blast just in time.  But a massive hole was blown right through the building like it were a sand castle.  Tsuna, now that he was released, retreated back to the wall of the building, holding himself up there using his flame.

“That was the flame of wrath.”

“Flame of wrath?”  Basil asked.  

Reborn explained. “The dying will flame is like a fingerprint or voice print.  It is unique to each individual, differing in both form and nature.  And Xanxus’s shining-ball flame is exceedingly rare.  Among the past Vongola bosses, the only one who fought bare-handed without a weapon, was the second boss, because of this flame.  The special characteristic of this flame is its extreme destructive power which can reduce anything to ashes.  Also, this flames was seen only when the second boss was enraged, so now, tis called the flame of wrath to differentiate it from the dying will flame.”

Xanxus mocked Tsuna, “Do you know why the first boss, who used the same gloved weapons as you, ran away to japan and retired there?  That’s because he feared a battle with the second boss.  If the flame of wrath had crushed the weakly dying will flame, it would disgrace his name of being the strongest.  He was afraid of this flame.”

Tsuna stood up.  “Would you like to try it out?”

Xanxus glared at him.  “What?”

“Your flame and my flame.  Shall we see which is stronger?”  Tsuna asked.  He propelled himself off the wall using his own flames and flew straight at Xanxus.

Xanxus narrowed his eyes.  “You really want to die that badly?”

Xanxus charged up as Tsuna drew near.  They both threw their hands forward and a massive explosion and plume of smoke went up where they had been.  It threw everyone back as the wind knocked them around like ragdolls.  When the smoke cleared, Tsuna landed a solid punch to Xanxus’s face.

He flew into the school’s shrubbery.

Basil shouted, “Tsuna’s flame overpowered Xanxus’s flame!”

“That’s the result of his training.”  Reborn stated.  “In terms of overall destructive power, Xanxus’s flame is probably stronger.  However, Tsuna was able to control his flame, concentrated it into a single point so he could break through Xanxus’s flame.  But Xanxus won’t be defeated by something like that.”

Leona was trying to focus on the match, but she was worried for the guardians who were scattered about, suffering.  Yamamoto had a lot of muscle on his body so the poison would take longer to get through him.  He had the best chance to surviving – him and Ryohei both.  But she was terrified for Seiko who was so tiny and had nothing to defend herself from the poison.  This fight wasn’t going to be a quick one.

As Tsuna flew at Xanxus again, a blast shot out from the smoke, na iling Tsuna who tried to dodge.  The outward blast was quickly followed up by a blast that sent Xanxus straight up into the air and then landed easily in front of him.  He growled and stated, “I didn’t want to pull out a weapon like you scum…”

To everyone’s surprise, there were two pistols in Xanxus’s hands.  Reborn commented, “So Xanxus uses a weapon, too.  Worse, it’s the same type as the seventh boss.   The second boss’s flame and the seventh boss’s gun, this is a terribly vicious combination.”

Leona looked at Reborn as he continued, “The Vongola bosses have all sorts of fighting styles, but the only one who used a gun as his main weapon was the seventh boss.  IT was said that the seventh boss was not only a skilled marksman, but the characteristic of his flame also led to his choice in using a gun.  In the history of the Vongola, the seventh boss’s flame was the weakest by far.  That’s why he used that weapon to compensate for it.  Most likely, Xanxus’s gun cartridges also contain bullets similar to this.”  Reborn held out the dying will bullet.  “The seventh boss improved it for battle use.  Look at the guy’s hand.”

“The flame is being absorbed…”  Shamal commented.

“That’s right.”  Reborn stated.  “The dying will bullet has a property that can temporarily compress the dying will flame.  The seventh boss noticed this too.  Even if dying will flames are weak, they can be accumulated in the bullet, then released in one shot.  The resulting power is immeasurable.  Actually the destructive power of the seventh boss’s gun was tremendous.  It was said he used that gun to kill off many of his enemies.  So much so that in terms of their attack power, among the middle bosses, the seventh boss was most famous.”

Basil shouted, “Wait a minute.  Xanxus’s flames is not the saem as the seventh boss’s.  His is the flame of wrath that by far has the strongest destructive power.  If that flame were accumulated and shot – “

“Yes.  It would contain an unbelievable destructive and penetrating power.  If Tsuna were to get hit by that one shot, it would be very dangerous, even for him.”  Reborn explained calmly.

Leona frowned.  “Dammit…”

Xanxus scoffed.  “Didn’t you say you were going to put me away?  Or has your hyper intuition foreseen your own death?”

Tsuna glared, but instead of answering him, he shot directly towards Xanxus.  He snarled, “Little bug.  Don’t think that you have a patent on moving at super speed!”  He pointed his guns downward and shot the bullets, sending him flying right into the air.  Tsuna stopped himself and then followed after him.

When Tsuna flipped around, Xanxus already had a gun pointed at him.  “Scatter into dust!”

Tsuna glanced  behind him as Xanxus fired the blast.  He tried his best to block what he could with his own flame, but it still slammed into the top of the building.

Sophia gasped as the ceiling caved and some of the rubble landed on her, letting out a scream of pain.  Coupled with the poison, she felt like she was dying something worse than death.  She struggled to hold consciousness, but her body was fading in and out too quickly.  AT least what fell on her was mostly small and it didn’t do any permanent damage.  But damn that Xanxus for not giving a shit.

Xanxus and Tsuna landed on another building.  He asked, “You were babbling about it.  About not letting any of your guardians die.  What will you gain from that?  I don’t care if my subordinates die.”  He laughed as he shot into the air with his guns again.  “The sky is all about your subordinates giving their lives for your own!  That’s its purpose!”

“And this is charity!”  Xanxus screamed as he fired both his guns off towards a couple towers holding the rings.  One was the mist tower and the other was the storm tower.

Sophia looked at the ring that rolled away in front of her.  Mammon shouted from the other side.  “No!  Boss!  You knocked it the wrong way!”  Sophia reached for the ring, barely able to grab it and placed it into the watch, freeing herself.

Shamal huffed.  “He freed one of our own men… but…”

“Sophia is no longer on Vongola’s side.”  Reborn stated.  “This is bad.”

“What do you mean?” Leona shouted.  “Sophia is with Xanxus now?  Wh-why?”

“Who knows?”  Reborn stated.  “But she’s going to attack one of our own.”

Leona’s eyes were trembling.  “Sophia… how could you…?”

Once Bel had his ring in, he shot to his feet and giggled.  “I know exactly what I’m doing first.”

Xanxus chuckled.  “What about it, fake?  Didn’t think of that method, did you?”

Tsuna narrowed his eyes.  “You freed my mist guardian.”

Xanxus laughed out loud now.  “Your mist guardian?  You had a bad taste in subordinates you know?  A little bit a sweet talking and now she’s doing my dirty work.”

Tsuna’s eyes widened.  “What?”

“Turns out she’s had another objective all a long and you didn’t even know.  All I had to do was promise her one thing and she instantly came to my side.”

“What was that?”  Tsuna asked.

“That she could fight and kill Seiko Himura.”  Xanxus snickered.

Leona dropped to her knees.  “She was still with her family all along…  She lied to me.”

Reborn looked at Leona and then looked ahead.  “It appears we made a mistake.”

“So two enemies are running loose and all of our guardians are stranded with no way of defending themselves.

Tsuna shot towards the roof but Xanxus quickly cut him off.  He pointed his gun at him and asked, “Where are you going?”

Tsuna gritted his teeth.  He had to free his guardians at the very least so they could fight back.  At this rate, they were going to die.

Reborn chimed in, “Tsuna!  What are you so impantient about?  Xanxus is certainly an unconventional man, but your own guardians are not ordinary guys either.”

Leona looked at Reborn.  “Listen, I know Tsuna needs to focus on the match but… Seiko won’t last any longer.  That poison is too potent for her.  He needs to at least rescue her.”

Reborn chuckled.  “Does he?”

“Sophia is going after Seiko!  She’s going to kill her!”  Leona screamed.

“Yes I know.”  Reborn reminded her.  He motioned towards the screen.

Leona looked up, seeing Bel jump onto the roof of the school as well as Sophia.  But what the camera was focusing on wasn’t them.  It was the crumpled tower where the Lightning ring should have been, but instead there was smoke everywhere.  When the smoke cleared, it revealed Hibari knelt with a limp Seiko in his arms.

Reborn smiled.  “Tsuna doesn’t need to do anything.”


	77. Chapter 77

Hibari knelt down, seeing how much Seiko was struggling with the poison.  It pained him to see her in such a state.  She was pale and sweating and every breath sounded more like a hoarsey rasp.  He picked up the ring he had knocked down and gently placed it into the watch on her wrist.  Immediately her body seemed to relax and her eyes opened just the slightest bit.  “Hiba-kun…”

“Shh…”  He cooed to her.  “Don’t stress yourself, I’m here now.”  He situated her a bit so that her head rested on his shoulder  and her arm  was wrapped around his neck.   He held her up with one arm and started to get up when he saw Bel and Sophia both approaching.  His eyes narrowed and he glared more harshly at Sophia.  “I knew you couldn’t be trusted.”

Sophia’s eyes widened on Seiko in his hold and she growled, “Hand her over, Hibari.  This doesn’t concern you.”

Hibari threatened, “I’d sooner bite you to death.”

Leona was in shock at the three way battle that was about to take place.  “I-I’m glad, but… what… how did he get out…?”  One of the cameras went to the Cloud ring pole to see that it was completely busted.  “But… how?”

“Haven’t you figured it out by now?  Hibari struck it down himself.”  Reborn stated.

The announcers stammered, “Impossible… the death hitters poison is so lethal that even an wild elephant would stop in its tracks.”

“That doesn’t matter.”  Reborn retorted.  “His desire to protect and take care of Seiko breaks all of his own limits.  He was so concerned over her well being that he gave no thought to what the poison did to his own body.  He broke free and gave himself his own antidote so he could reach her and save her.  That is why he is our Cloud guardian.  He is aloof, drifting and protects the family in his own way.  He is unbound by all except one.  But in a way, she is his freedom.”

Leona was staring in surprise.  “All to protect Seiko…”  Her gaze was locked on the screen.  He had reached her and given her the antidote, there was no doubt about that, but now… he had to fight off both Belphegor and Sophia.  If he put Seiko down, the other would attack her.  But he couldn’t seriously think he can fight while holding her, can he?

It was almost instinct now to look for the faded woman, expecting her to say something.  But there was no sign of her.  For the first time, she wasn’t around.  “Seiko-chan…”

Sophia’s scythe formed in her hands and she ordered, “ This isn’t a joke, Hibari, stand aside.”

He held out his tonfa, facing the both of them.  “I’m not sure who’s telling jokes here.  Neither of you will lay a hand on her.”

Sophia shouted, “You don’t even know what’s going on!  Why don’t you take care of the rest of the team!  They’re dying too you know!?”

“I don’t give a damn about them.”  Hibari growled.  “I fight because she asked me to.”

“And what if she asked you to put her down and hand her to me?”  Sophia demanded.

Hibari twitched at this, trying not to show signs of hesitation, but it was there.  Seiko was barely conscious in his hold, but if she asked him to do such a thing, he wasn’t sure what he’d do.  Sophia had clearly turned her back on them.

“Enough.”  Bel ordered.  “Just kill them both!”

Sophia lunged forward now and swung her scythe.  Hibari blocked with his tonfa, but she flipped back around, coming around from the other side.  Again, he blocked it.  But he realized she was only a distraction.  Three knives went flying over head and he covered Seiko’s head and dropped down.  The knives missed him, but he still felt three cuts on the back of his arm.  He cursed  and glared towards Bel, but before he could do anything, the scythe was coming back at him.  He covered Seiko and rolled away but cursed when he had to let go of his tonfa.

Leona’s eyes were wide.  “He can’t fight off two people and hold onto her at the same time…!”

Reborn growled, “He’s in trouble.”

Sophia lowered her scythe, seeing that despite barely being conscious, Seiko’s grip on Hibari had increased and she clenched his shirt tightly.   Her eyes narrowed.  Well it looked like there was another way she could do this.

Sophia warned. “This is your last chance, Hibari.  If needbe, I will kill you.”

“Try if you wish.”  Hibari ordered her, raising his second tonfa in front of Seiko protectively.  “You will never touch her.”

Sophia spun her scythe around in her hand and charged right for him.  He dodged the swipes easily, but he had to use his tonfa to guard Seiko, so he wasn’t able to attack back.  Her eyes narrowed.  She was really going to hate it if she had to strike Hibari down to wake up Seiko.  She snarled, “Why do you care so much?  You don’t even know who she is or what is going on!”

“It doesn’t matter to me.”  Hibari stated, blocking her scythe with his tonfa and kicking Sophia in the stomach, causing her stumble back.  “She could be anything she wants and I wouldn’t care.  She’s mine and I swore to protect her.”

Sophia gritted her teeth, gripping the scythe more tightly.  “There’s more to protecting someone than just fighting, you know!  All you’re doing is suffocating her.  You have no idea the things she’s capable of!  If you truly wanted to protect her then you need to give her a wide birth so she can grow, too!”

Hibari’s eyes widened, but it wasn’t from anything she said.  As Sophia was talking to him, Bel had thrown three knives, two hitting him in the shoulder and one in the upper arm.  Immediately blood began to drip down his shirt and his only useable arm dropped, the tonfa falling.

Leona gasped.  “Now he can’t fight without putting her down…!  Sophia will… she’s going to kill them both…”

Reborn was watching intensely.  “I don’t think so…”

“Huh?”  Leona asked.

“I think… there’s more going on here.”  Reborn stated.

Hibari dropped down to one knee, still clutching Seiko tightly to him.  He rested her on that knee so that he could pull the knives out of his body and tossed them to the side.  Sophia walked towards him.  He panted and told her, “I won’t let you have her.”

Sophia’s gaze softened.  “I’m sorry… but you made me do this…”  She fanned her hand over the emerald on her hip and it glowed.  She then extended that same hand out and blew into the palm of her hand like she was blowing a kiss.  But when she did, the roof top from her and out to the edge collapsed.

Hibari gripped Seiko tightly, even bringing up his injured arm and wrapping them both around her as they plummeted to the ground with the collapsing building.

Seiko slowly came to, but everything was dark.  Off in the distance, she could she flickering lights in the sky.  Slowly she sat up, something limp falling from her back.  Her eyes widened when she saw that she’d landed on Hibari. She gasped and went to shake him when she realized his shoulder was covered in blood.  “Hibari-kun…?  Hibari-kun!  Wake up!”  She screamed.  “Hibari!!”

He shifted just the slightest bit, barely able to open one eye.  “You’re… okay?  Get out of here.  Find one of the other guardians and free them.  They have to protect you.”

“What are you talking about?”  Seiko asked, her eyes wide with fear and tears pricking at her eyes.  “You’ll protect me… you can’t lose remember?  You – “

“Go now.”  Hibari ordered her.

Seiko went to protest more when she heard movement.  She looked up quickly to see Sophia walking with a scythe in her hand.  She darkly ordered, “Listen to him, Seiko.  Because I’m going to kill you.”

“Sophia…?”  Seiko whispered.  “Why?  What’s the matter with you!?  Did Mukuro possess you!?”

“No!”  Sophia screamed at her.  “Mukuro had nothing to do with this!  I’m doing this because I want to!”

Seiko went to stand up but she sank down a bit in the soft earth under her.  How had they conveniently landed in a soft pile of dirt?  That was the only way Hibari could have survived that 5 story fall.  She was afraid to leave Hibari, but it looked like Sophia was after her.  So if she got away from him, maybe he’d be safe and someone would come help him.  She rushed over the rubble the opposite way of Sophia.  She had barely made it around the building when earth broke apart under her and flipped her onto her back.  She gasped as Sophia walked up to her casually.

“Look at you Seiko.  You don’t even have a weapon to defend yourself with.  You can’t even use your own element.”  Sophia told her.  “You’re a broken warrior and it’s going to take nothing for me to kill you.   I sensed it in my battle with Mammon, Kasei was calling out to you, to us and you ignore her.”

“Who?”

“Kasei.  The spirit of fire.  The element that belongs to your family that we’re all fighting to preserve.  You denied her!  She is your power, your spirit!  She is you!”  Sophia slammed her scythe into the ground and Seiko went flying backwards.  Angrily, Sophia continued, “You don’t deserve the fire element.  You don’t deserve that ruby being so close to your heart!  You’re useless to everyone around you!  I thought I was going to have to kill Hibari because you wouldn’t even open your damn eyes.  Tell me Seiko… do you have any self-worth at all?  Cressa is dead.  You are your own person now.  Do you even see that!?”

Seiko was staring wide eyed ahead of her.  She was looking at Sophia but she wasn’t seeing her.  She was seeing how useless she had been with Cressa and then even after she was dead.  She’d found her strength during her ring battle, but had been unable to use it.  She really was useless.  All of Hibari’s efforts to protect her were in vain.  She wasn’t worthy of anyone’s protection.  Because she couldn’t even protect herself.

“I will help you…”

Seiko’s eyes widened as the voice came from inside of her own mind.

Hibari struggled back to his feet, panting as he held himself up on the wall.  He reached for his two tonfas and looked around.  Sophia had chased Seiko behind the building.  He unsteadily made his way there.  He swore to protect her.  He couldn’t let these injuries interfere with that.

Seiko closed her eyes and listened to the voice in her mind.  

“I am Kasei, the one your friend speaks of.  I have been trying to reach you, but you’ve blocked me out.  Every time I wanted to help you defend yourself, you let yourself be protected.  That is not wrong, but did you not grow tired of Cressa expecting you to protect her and never doing anything for herself?  Have you not become the same?”

Seiko looked down at her hands.   Her voice cracked, “I want to be strong.  Help me be strong!”

Sophia started to say something, but she realized what was happening and she remained still.

“I won’t help you be strong.  You must be strong yourself.  Which you are if you’d let yourself be.   You must be your own strength, but I will be the one to help you control that strength.”

“Then help me control it…”  Seiko ordered, slowly standing up straight.  “I am strong.  Help me prove it.”

“Good girl.  Now let it all out.  Let out all the fire that burns in your heart without reserve and trust me.  I will guide you.”

Seiko raised her arms out and the gem on her chest blowed brightly.  Energy was pulsing off of her like a heartbeat steadily growing faster.  The strength of it lifted her off the ground and she slowly curled in the air.  Sophia put her arms up to protect her from the wind.

Then suddenly all her energy was released.  Large flames grew from Seiko’s back, but they had a shape.  They were in the shape of butterfly wings.  Around her wrists and ankles, ringlets of fire wrapped around them.  When Seiko opened her eyes and looked at Sophia, they were glowing just like the fire around her body.

Sophia grinned, “That’s my girl!  Did you finally hear it!?  Did you hear Kasei?”

“Yeah.”  Seiko stated.  “I heard her.”

Hibari stepped out from where he was, looking at the fire that was wrapped around Seiko.  The wind created from the heat of the flames was tossing her short hair around, but little flicks of fire were dancing off of them, off her entire body.

To think, he had thought she was beautiful before, what he was seeing now, gave the word a completely new meaning.  “Seiko.”  He stated.

She turned to see him and her eyes brightened.  “Hibari-kun!  You’re okay!”

He stared at her long and hard.  Sophia’s words rang in his mind.  He had to give her room to grow.  He couldn’t coddle her like a small animal.  She wasn’t an herbivore like the rest of them.  He reached up to her hand and she gasped for a moment when he touched the fire.  Seiko hesitated, “Hibari, doesn’t that – “

“Your flames will never hurt me.”  He told her.  “Come now.  We need to rescue the rest of the guardians.”

“Huh?”  Seiko gasped.  “You’re worried about them?”

“Aren’t you?”  He questioned her.

“Yes.”  She told him.

“Then I am, as well.”  Hibari admitted, turning on his heel.  “I assume the one that turns into Mukuro is no longer a threat.  This is what she was after, right?”

“Yes.  She was never after us to hurt us.  She was just trying to get me to come to my senses.”  Seiko stated.  Then she added.  “Hibari.  I’m going to fight this time.  You’re already hurt, so let me do it.”

“No.”  He stated plainly.  She expected him to say that she needed to remain safe, but to her surprise, he said, “We will fight together.”

Seiko smiled happily. “Right!”

They were headed back around the building when Bel cut them off.  “There you are!  And I see that you’re back on your feet, Ace.”

Hibari looked at Seiko curiously.  “Who is Ace?”

“You are.”  Seiko informed.  “Yamamoto told them you were the teams Ace.”

Hibari frowned, glaring back at Bel.  “I think he was wrong.”

Bel laughed as he fanned his arms out and all of his knives began floating on wires.  Seiko quickly informed Hibari, “They run on wires, so watch out.”

But Hibari charged right in.

“I think I’m going to enjoy this.”  Bel stated.  “Once I kill him then the little mouse is all mine for the taking.”

Hibari grinned as he charged, “Shall I give you a handicap on account of your leg injury?”

“No need.”  Bel mocked.  “You’re dragging your leg, too.”

All of the knives that were floating he suddenly shot out so that they collided on all the walls.  Hibari gave him the run around, but she realized that he was heading right for the wires.  Seiko spun in mid air and sent out a wave of fire that sliced right through the wires before Hibari reached them.

Bel cursed.  “No fair!”

Hibari snickered.  “No point in attacking with so many.”

Bel threw another handful at him and though they missed, they still cut the side of his face.  Hibari stopped in his tracks.  Bel went to throw more but Seiko flew down after they were thrown and swung her arm around, catching the wires and yanking the knives back and away from Hibari.  Her fire cleared a way for him to go straight for Prince.

Hibari jumped over Seiko after she landed and drew his tonfas out.  From the ends, a ball and chain came from each one and he spun them around.  So now, when Bel threw a few more knives, the knives and the threads were ripped away and rendered useless.

Bel danced out of the way of his slashes and yelled, “Wait!  I don’t mind bleeding my own blood to get into my serious mode, but… this is not the time or place for reminiscence.  This is a group battle, you know.  I’m going to get the other rings.”

Seiko glared at he took off and she quickly told Hibari.  “We need to do the same.  The others are running low on ti- “ She gasped when Hibari stumbled and collapsed against her.   “Hiba-kun…”

He gripped her arms and unsteadily pushed himself back up.  “Let’s go…”

“Please let me handle the next fight.”  She told him worriedly.


	78. Chapter 78

Seiko tied the ripped piece of her shirt tightly around Hibari’s shoulder to try and slow the bleeding.  She told him, “It won’t help a lot, but it’s better than nothing.”  His eyes were starting to look droopy and he was looking really pale.  She needed to get him out of here and get patched up.  She started to pull away but he cupped the back of her head and brought her in closer.

For a moment, he watched the flecks of flame dissipate from her hair and into the sky.  He pressed his lips to her forehead and whispered, “I’m glad… you’re okay.”

Seiko stared at him for the longest time.  “I have you to thank for that.”

He grunted and got to his feet.  “Let’s go.  If we wait too long, you’ll worry needlessly over the others’ safety.”

It wasn’t too long before they reac hed Gokudera and Seiko’s eyes widened.  “Wait.  Bel had the – “ She gasped when Hibari held the ring out to her.  “When did you – “

“When we were fighting before you regained consciousness.  I grabbed it from him.  Figured you want to free him.”  Hibari stated.

Seiko nodded, taking the ring and placing it in Gokudera’s watch.  He gasped when he felt the relief from poison.  He sat up and asked, “You guys got free?  How?”

Seiko smiled brightly.  “Hibari rescued me.”

But Gokudera was distracted by all the flames dancing off of her.  Seiko ordered, “Go get Ryohei, alright?”

He nodded and took off.

Hibari asked her, “Who are we going for?”

“Yamamoto-kun.”  Seiko answered, but she scooped him up and flew a little ways off the ground so he wouldn’t have to walk.

But he gave her the most lethal glare.  “Tell me next time before you do that.”

“Sorry.”  Seiko told him.  “You just… look pretty bad.  I know you won’t admit it.”

“I’m fine.  As long as you’re okay.”  He told her.

“I know.”  Seiko whispered softly.

Sophia was looking up at the sky, seeing Tsuna and Xanxus going at it.  Her eyes narrowed.  She had to stop him and she felt like only she could.  She even had an idea how.

“Just in time!”  Yamamoto stated, leaning back on the pillar.  “Thanks for saving me, guys.”

Seiko nodded and smiled.  “Anytime!  Leona would have beat the crap outta me if I didn’t!”

Yamamoto smiled but he all out laughed when Hibari said, “You would mess up the discipline if you died on school grounds.  If you want to die, go do it outside.”

Seiko frowned but she gasped when Hibari started to walk away, only to collapse against the pillar near him.  Seiko rushed up to him, “Hibari!”

Yamamoto smiled and said, “Player sub!  I’ll take over from here on!”

Seiko looked up at him.  “Are you sure?”

“No sweat.  He looks in bad shape.  You take care of him.”  Yamamoto gave a thumbs up and then added, “Oh, and I like all the cool new fire effects, Seiko!”

Leona and the others looked away from the screen when they heard a new arrival.  She was surprised to see Dino and a person in a wheelchair.  She gasped, “Is that… Squalo!?”

Dino nodded.   “On the day of the Rain battle, I had my men sneak into the basement – actually they were supposed to rescue Yamamoto.  But, the one who fell into the water take was Squalo.  We barely got to him in time, but he was already on the verge of death.  Somehow we managed to find skilled doctors and a hospital with advanced facilities where he underwent major surgery.”

“That’s… crazy…”  Leona stated, looked at the angry gaze of Squalo.

“Because I’m sure we can force some information out of this guy.”  Dino added.

They realized though, that Squalo was muttering.  “This is good.  That fury will amek you stronger… that fure is.. the strength that’ll turn your ambition into reality.  That fury is… what aspired me to follow you…”

They looked back at the screen.  Xanxus had become so pissed off and in the wake of his rage, the scars on his face had expanded and changed.

Sophia ran up to where Tsuna and Xanxus had been fighting.   A look of fury crossed her when she saw that Mammon was holding the sky ring.  Now that all the halves of the rings had been placed together, if Xanxus put that ring on now, the Vongola power would erupt.  But she had a feeling it wouldn’t go that way.

Breaking into a run, Sophia rushed out to where Tsuna was kneeling, barely able to breathe after using up his energy.  Xanxus was about to put the ring on when Sophia shouted, “Stop!”

Xanxus looked over at her and demanded, “What now, Sophia?  Did you not get what you wanted?”

“No that’s not it.” Sophia told him.  “That ring is glowing white and you are black.  You can’t put that on.”

“What?  What’s black?”  Xanxus demanded.

“Your aura!”  Sophia shouted.  “If you – “  She nearly screamed when he ignored her and placed the ring upon his finger.  As soon as he did, power erupted around him, but then it turned to coughing and suddenly blood was spurting out his body.  He collapsed to the ground.

“What is going on!?” Mammon shouted.

“The ring rejected him.”  Sophia stated, making her way across the field.  Her gazed softened as she walked up to him, ignoring his shouts of protests.  

He screamed, “Don’t fucking pity me!”

Sophia knelt down before him and whispered, “I couldn’t pity a guy like you.  But… I understand you.  The betrayal you suffered… and your hatred…I understand you…”

“What do you understand?”  Xanxus demanded, coughing up more blood.  “Don’t talk as if you know anything…”

Sophia listened through the speaker as Squalo explained Xanxus’s story.  About how he wasn’t the legitimate son of the Ninth boss, but had been raised believing so.   How when he learned, he turned on himself thinking he was the lowest of the low because he had nothing.  That was why he tried to take over the Vongola because he wanted to control when he was denied it due to blood.

Xanxus pushed her back suddenly, screaming about how none of it mattered, about how he would have the seat as boss or no one would.  He raised to his feet and ordered as loud as he could for his men to kill  all of them.

Seiko was walking towards the area where the other guadians had convened, when she heard the order Xanxus gave.  She supported Hibari as much as she could, afraid to move too quickly and hurt him.  Up ahead, though, she could see the other guardians had all convened on the field as well and moved in front of an injured Tsuna.

Prince, who’d joined as well, laughed.  “You’re going to die…”

Gokudera barked.  “There’s only two of you.  You can’t win!”

Mammon laughed.  “You’re wrong.  You are facing an army ten times greater than this.  All fifty members of our inborn Varia squad will be joining us here very soon.”

“What!?”  Ryohei shouted.

“They were already on their way because after our boss’s victory, they were supposed to kill the rest of the people here and settle everything.  These are our elite, next in battle ability only to us core members.”

One of the announcers stated, “We cannot allow outsiders to interfere!”

Prince sliced her up, shouting, “You think we care!?”

Seiko sighed and shifted from under Hibari’s weight.  He gave her a questioning look but she started walking towards the Varia.  

Tsuna gasped, “S-Seiko-chan… what are you doing?”

Leona gasped in surprise.  “Seiko…?”

Colonello, who’d appeared with Dino asked, “Since they broke the rules, we should be able to leave now, too.”

The woman who remained after prince’s attack stated, “Yes, since the Varia has been disqualified, we will deactivate the infrared boundary on the observation box.”

But it didn’t go.  Reborn cursed.  “We’re trapped here.”

“How naïve.  We sabotaged it before.  We’d already arranged for all of you to die in that jail cell.”

Seiko glanced at Sophia and then stated.  “I think this is the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen.  You lost the ring contest battles.  You lost the sky battle.  Even the ring has denied you and yet you still cannot accept defeat with your ego in tact?  Will you honestly have to be completely obliterated to get the point?”

Mammon’s illusions reached out, turning to tentacles and shot towards her.  “Shut your mouth you stupid weakling!”

Seiko grabbed the fake tentacles in her hand and then yanked on them, causing Mammon to fly towards her.  When he did, she landed a full-force punch right to his head, knocking him out and he dropped to the ground.

Bel flinched.  “Uh-Uh oh…  Look, I don’t wanna fight you, cute little mousey- “  He gasped when she raised her hand and threw a blast of fire at him that sent him into the building and dumped rubble all over him.

Tsuna stared in surprised.  “What… happened to her?  She’s so different…”

Ryhei shouted, “I want to know how she grew butterfly wings, to the extreme!!”

Sophia looked at Xanxus who was still refusing to let go of the ring.  She took his hand and told him, “You have to let it go.”

He stared into her eyes and gritted his teeth.  “It belongs to me…”

“No… what belongs to you is what you earn.  You didn’t earn any of this.  You don’t need it.”  Sophia wrapped her arms around him.  She held him close and whispered, “There’s so much more you can do…I could feel it when you kissed me last night.  Let me help you find your new path…”

“G-guys!”  Yamamoto shouted, pointing up.

Suddenly, the entire Varia backup squad began descending on the battlefield.  Seiko stood her ground without fear.  All she had to do was believe that she could do it.

Gokudera stated, “I don’t know that… I can handle fighting all of them at once…”

“We don’t have a choice.”  Ryohei stated.

“You’re not fighting.”  Seiko told them sharply.  “I am.  All of you have done your fair share of fighting for the family and protecting each other.  Now it’s my turn to pay all of you back.  I’m going to defend you this time. ”

“B-but Seiko-chan!”  Tsuna shouted weakly.  He looked over at Hibari and asked, “A-Aren’t you going to stop her, Hibari-san?”

“Why?”  Hibari asked.  To Seiko, he questioned, “Do you need a weapon?”

Seiko paused and nodded her head.  To her surprise, he tossed her his tonfas and she turned towards the army that was coming towards her.  When the first ones arrived, they were no match for her speed.  She landed two direct hits, spun around and kicked the next.  She brought the tonfas down on the head of another guy and so on.

She tore through the army like they were a bunch of little kids and she was fully trained martial artist.  Flames were pouring from her arms and tonfas, which had most of her enemies flinching as she neared.  They couldn’t find a place to hit her that her fire didn’t protect.

“Is what I’m seeing real?”  Ryohei asked.

“This is… really the same, Seiko?”  Gokudera questioned.

Sophia focused on Xanxus as the fighting filtered to background noise.  She told him, “Accept my offer, please.  I will help you rebuild.”

“Rebuild what?”  Xanxus snarled.  “I haven’t lost anything!”

“You’ve lost everything!”  Sophia shouted.  “Stop being a stupid cockface and just give up!”

Xanxus stared at her in surprised and then chuckled.  He told her, “I love when you yell like that…”  He suddenly collapsed forward,  The bloodloss finally getting him as he passed out.

Sophia looked up as a wave of fire flew overhead.  By the time she could focus again, Seiko had already wiped the army out.  She was amazed by the power the Kasei held, but it shouldn’t really have surprised her.  Because of the gems placement, she knew it was going to be like that.  But she was just now starting out.  Sophia could only imagine how strong she’d been once she’d trained more.

The female announcer trotted to the middle now that Xanxus’s teams’  last mem bers had given up.  She shouted, “Since Xanxus’  team was disqualified, the winner of the Sky ring battle is Sawada Tsunayoshi.  Therefore, the next successor to the Vongola is Sawada Tsunayoshi and his six guardians.”

Tsuna let out a laugh of relief and collapsed into the dirt.

Seiko smiled at him and made her way back to Hibari.  She held out his tonfas for him and smiled.  “Thanks for entrusting these to me.  They really were helpful.”  She gasped when he knocked them out of her hands and wrapped his arms around her.  She gasped at how tightly he held her, a hand on the back of her head and the other pressing against her lower back.  His voice cracked when he whispered,

“I’m so proud of you…”

The next day, there was a massive party to celebrate winning the battles.  It was under the alias of being for winning a big out of town tournament, but they really knew what it was for.  Hibari had insisted he hated crowds so he told her to go without him.  Though she knew everyone and was having a good time, she couldn’t help already missing him after only a bit.  They distributed the rings for them to officially wear from now on.  It felt nice to be able to put the cold metal on her finger without having to worry about someone chopping her head off.

Dino laughed and wrapped his arm around Seiko’s neck and teased, “What’s with that sour face?  We’re all celebrating!”

“I’m not unhappy!”  Seiko told him suddenly.  “Honestly!  I just… wish Hiba-kun didn’t mind crowds so much…”

“Give him credit.”  Dino stated.  “He’s been spending a surprising amount of time with crowds since you came along.  He’ll get there.”

Seiko nodded and smiled.

She spent her time talking with everyone and having a good time, specially catching up with Leona and Sophia.  The evening was setting in and she decided it was time that she headed home.  Waving everyone goodbye, she stepped outside of the Take Sushi bar and headed down the street.  She barely made it to the curb’s edge when her gaze softened and she said, “You could just come inside you know.”

Hibari looked down at the concrete.  “It was too crowded.  I prefer it here.”  She set her bag on the back of his bike and looked him up and down with a smile.  He was actually wearing street clothes today.  A red jacket and black jeans. 

She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him, slipping her hands into his back pockets as she pressed her face to his chest.  She whispered, “I’m glad you’re picking me up.”

“Don’t I always?”  He grumbled.  But his arms wrapped around her and his chin rested on the top of her head.  He muttered, “You’ve gotten taller.”

“I guess.”  Seiko whispered.   She stepped back and told him, “Let’s go home.  I got some free sushi for us to share.  Yamamoto insisted.”  

Hibari sighed and climbed on his bike, but sat back far enough for her to climb on in front of him.  Like her own personally knight, he held his hand out to her and helped her on before placing the helmet on her head like usual.  Before taking off, though, he spent a moment just holding her tiny body and it brought a rush of warmth to her.  He kissed her neck and whispered in the most tender way, “I love you, Seiko-chan…”

Her cheeks flushed under the helmet and she told him back, “I love you, too, Hibari Kyouya.”


	79. Chapter 79

Months passed and the days seemed to go back to normal.  Everyday Tsuna was beat up by Reborn.  Every day Gokudera argued with Yamamoto that he was barely qualified to be the right hand man.  Every day Leona and Yamamoto laughed together all through school.  Every day Ryohei shouted about how great boxing was.  Every day Hibari beat up the entire crew.  And every day he welcomed her home after school.

Seiko looked up as Tsuna finally bumbled out of his home.  She had been leaning against the gate, waiting for him and she straightened up and waved now that he was here.  “Good morning Tsuna-nii!”

Tsuna looked at her with confusion and asked, “Eh, Seiko-chan?  What are you doing here?  Where’s Hibari-san?”

“He had an early meeting today and I wanted to sleep in.”  Seiko informed.  “He was worried about me walking to school by myself so I told him I’d wait for you and walk with you.”  She made a face and added, “He grumbled something about ‘don’t be late or I’ll bite both of you to death’.”  She laughed.  “He’s so cute.”

Tsuna’s laugh was half-hearted.  She thought it was funny, but he still feared for his life.  “If you say so.”  He didn’t agree in the least with her opinions of Hibari, but she saw a side of him that the rest of them knew nothing about.  And he’d accepted that.  “Some things never change though.”

“I know.  He’ll always been a school nerd.”  Seiko stated as they started walking down the street.  They hadn’t gotten very far when they heard a growling from some nearby bushes.  Seiko looked over just in time to see a dog lunge out of the brush and tackled Tsuna.  She gasped as he screamed and cried as the dog mauled him and she grabbed the animal by its collar and pried it off.

But as soon as she got it off, more were all attacking him.  Seiko tried her best to get them all off but there was too many.  She shouted at him, “Do you have food in your pocket or something?  Tsuna-nii?  Throw it out!”

“I don’t!!”  Tsuna shouted.

Reborn showed up a moment later and explained, “I mistakenly sprinkled the wild beast pellets meant for Leon on him.”

Seiko groaned.  “Reborn… we’re going to be late…!”

Needless to say, by the time they’d gotten to class, Tsuna looked like he’d come out of a blender, Hibari had caught them sneaking in late and threatened them both – though he did nothing – and now Gokudera was yelling that he should have been there because Seiko wasn’t worthy of protecting him.

“Had I lead tenth to school this morning, he would have been fine, and on time.”  Gokudera stated, clenching his hands into fists.  “But… I wasn’t there.  I failed you, tenth.”  He suddenly got out of his desk and started bowing over and over, begging for forgiveness.

Seiko rolled her eyes and tried to focus on class, but all she could think about was their lunch break and what was in her bag.  By about halfway through class, though, she had begun to feel sorry for Gokudera.  He seemed to be genuinely upset about his lack of ability to protect Tsuna.  He took his job was too seriously.  They were still high schoolers.

Once the lunch bell went off, she was gone in a flash.  She hurried to the Reception room and stepped in.  Kusubee and the other prefects were all at a table playing cards, but there was no Hibari.  He leaned back in his chair and said, “He’s up on the roof.”

“Thanks!”  Seiko shouted happily and took back off.

Kusu returned to his cards and chuckled, “Those two…”

Seiko opened the door to the roof and peeked out, seeing that Hibari was laying there, just soaking up the sun.  But the familiar yellow canary was nestled on his head.  It brought a smile to her face.  Small animals seemed to love him as much as he did them.

Seiko sat down beside him, opening her bag and pulling out the bento she had made for him the night before.  As she shuffled about, his eyes opened a bit and he asked, “Are you skipping class?”

“No it’s lunch time.  You slept through the bell again.”  She told him.   He sat up and looked at the bento in her hands.  Without even exchanging a word about it, she started holding food up to his lips and he eagerly accepted each bite she fed him.

Once he was done, she curled up against his chest as he leaned back against the fence that lined the roof.  Absently, his hand stroked through her short hair over and over.  As he did, he couldn’t help but noticed that it seemed as though the strands had gotten a little longer.  Was she wanting to grow her hair out or was she due for a hair cut?  He wasn’t sure how he would feel about her growing her hair out, but he’d accept whatever she wanted.

His lips gently pressed to the top of her head and he closed his eyes.  He felt Hibird land back on his head , getting cuddly with them as well.  It wasn’t long before Seiko’s breathing changed and he was aware of her having fallen asleep.  He knew these sounds well.  It was peaceful at night ever since they’d begun sharing the same bed, but he always savored, hearing the gentle noise that left her lips when she fell asleep.  And she always curled up in a ball, which made it more challenging for him to hold onto her at night, but she always curled towards him, and that was enough.

It dawned on him just how much things had changed since he found her in the street.  He was doing a lot of things he hated, but he was finding that he didn’t… exactly hate them anymore.  As long as she was with him, he didn’t really mind anything.  From the way she was curled, he could see the scars over and around her eye and he felt his stomach knot up.  It was so hard to see those and think about his failure.  His hand drifted down from her hair and cupped her face tenderly.  He wanted to take it all away.  All of her pain, her fears, everything.  He wanted to give her a life that was perfect.

Her eyes opened back up just the slightest and she softly asked him, “Are you okay?”

Hibari stared at her with a question in his pointed eyes before he asked, “Why?”

“Your fingers are shaky.”  She whispered back to him.  “You seem… bothered by something.”

“Nothing.”  He told her, kissing her forehead once more.  “Nothing at all.  Not anymore.  Not… now that you’re safe.”

Seiko paused and she sat up a bit, but she didn’t move from his lap.  Her hand came to rest on his chest.  “About that… Hiba-kun… I need to ask you something.”

“Hm?”  He asked her, trying to hold back his irritation.  He preferred getting straight to the point, not round about conversations.

“I got a message from my uncle the other day.”  Seiko stated, turning so she was straddling his lap now.  She occupied herself by playing with the prefect banner on her sleeve.  “They’re demanding I choose who to be my protector.  The person I chose has to be with me and follow me around all the time.  Technically they’re supposed to be with me night and day but I broke the rules with Cressa.”

Hibari narrowed his eyes and he stiffened.  Was she telling him that someone else was going to start staying with them?  That he was going to have to let someone else protect her?   When she started to go on, he gritted his teeth.  “It’s supposed to be someone from the family.  Daiya has personally recommended Saigon but I can’t deal with that guy at all.  It has to be someone I actually trust..   So… I want to ask…”

She gasped when he grabbed her shoulders suddenly and said, “No!”  Her eyes widened and then grew sad and he told her, “I won’t let anyone else protect you.  I don’t like crowds and if some other guy has to follow you around… I’ll just bite him to death and prove that he’s – “  He stared when Seiko started laughing.

She shook her head.  “You idiot.  That’s not what I was going to ask.”  He looked at her curiosly and she finally asked, “I want you to be my guardian, Hibari-kun.  But I just don’t know what that will mean.  No one’s ever had a guardian from outside the family.  But it’s either you, or no one.”

Hibari sighed and relaxed his hold on her before leaning his head back.  “Good.  Yes.  Of course I will.”  He mussed her hair and then ran his hand down the side of her face.  “I’d already considered taking care of you my job anyway.”

Seiko puffed her cheeks.  “Your job, huh?”  But she gave him a big smile before adding.  “So then… they’ll be back in town in a few days and I’ll have to tell them my decision.  Again… I don’t know what they’ll do.”

“Doesn’t matter.”  Hibari told her with finality.  “I will be your guardian and no one else.”

Seiko smiled when he kissed her forehead for the hundredth time.  Just as he pulled away, the bell rang and he asked her, “Do you need to attend this class?”

She shook her head.  So he rewrapped his arms around her and leaned back.  Curling up on him like she always did, the two of them took a nap until the next class began.

When Seiko rejoined class, she was aware of how bothered Gokudera was.  Tsuna was trying to talk to him and cheer him up, but nothing seemed to be helping.  Unable to help herself any longer, she walked up to them and asked, “What’s going on?”

“He’s still upset about me getting attacked by some wild animals this morning.”  Tsuna stated.

Seiko rolled her eyes.  “That’s stupid.  It’s just a few animals.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”  Tsuna insisted.

“If it were an actual battle, you would have died…”  Gokudera stated adamantly.

“What a… horrible thought process…”  Tsuna mumbled.

Gokudera clenched his hands into fists.  “I was being conceited because of all the flattery.  But I don’t deserve to be the right hand man…”

Tsuna frowned.  “Gokudera… don’t think that much about it.”

“I will train harder!”  Gokudera shouted suddenly, “With more training, I will become a person who’s fit to be your right hand man.”

Like usual, Reborn showed up this time to interject.  “And that’s why you’re in Tsuna’s family.”  He was dressed like Bianchi, but her clothes were falling off of him because they were so big.

Tsuna put his hands up.  “Now what?”

Reborn laughed and said, “I’m promoting a Vongola family strengthening campaign right now.  Care to give it a try, Gokudera?”

Tsuna frowned, “You’re always saying something weird.  What kind of campaign is that?”

“I’ll do it!”  Gokudera shouted.  “Please let me!”

Reborn nodded.  “Would Seiko-chan like to join?”

Seiko shrugged her shoulders which caused Tsuna to gasp, “Not you too!”

Taking advantage of the classroom and chalk board,  Reborn began talking, “The strengthening program aims to improve the three basic principles of combat: speed, power, and stamina.  Let’s begin with speed.  Speed is a vital factor when it comes to both offense and defense.”

Tsuna stared in awe at the board.  “He’s… taking this seriously…”

“Do either of you know what to do to increase your speed?”  Reborn asked.

Gokudera scratched his chin and thought out loud, “You’d want to increase your instantaneous speed by… implementing a dash?”

“Running laps!”  Seiko shouted excitedly.

“Wrong!”  He shouted, kicking both of them in the forehead.  Reborn told them, “The most important thing is air resistence.”

Tsuna gasped.

Seiko blinked.  “You mean… like… drag?”

Before long, Reborn had Gokudera’s hair combed up in front of his face.

Tsuna groaned, “This is a joke…  Stop it, Reborn!  At this rate, Gokudera will snap!  He can’t even see around him like that.”

“Not quite.”  Gokudera stated.  “I can see pretty well through the slits on the sides…”  As he said so, Seiko was making faces in his peripheral to prove that he couldn’t see anything.

But Reborn stated, “But this style is easy to mess up and setting it takes a long time.  That’s why it’s a bad example.”

“Why didn’t you say that first!?”  Tsuna shouted.

Seiko giggled and laughed.  “Calm down, Tsuna-nii, this is fun.”

“Let’s put speed aside for now.  Next is power.”  Reborn carried on.  “People always think of muscle training when it comes to power, but in the Vongola, we focus on removing the limiter in the brain, which awakens a dormant strength.”

“Another bogus plan…”  TSuna mumbled.

“Basically you want the brain to be able to control itself.  I called a special lecturer exactly for that purpose.”  Reborn informed.

To their surprise, adult form I-pin walked through the classroom door.

At Gokudera’s desk, she placed a large bowl of ramen before changing back to her smaller self and Reborn explained, “Let’s have Gokudera finish eating the ramen as I-pin shoots Gyozaken at him.”

“Why!?”  Tsuna shouted.

“Gyozaken is a technique that has direct effect on the brain, making the muscles spasm involuntarily.  By finishing the ramen while resisting Gyozaken, this will train the brain’s ability to control itself.”

“No way…”  Tsuna mumbled,  “Gokudera won’t – “

“Just watch me, tenth!”  Gokudera shouted.  “I will make you proud!”

Tsuna sighed.  “That is… you don’t…”

“Let’s start.”  Reborn ordered, blowing a whistle.

Seiko watched curiously as Gokudera began quickly eating the bowl of ramen that was placed before him.  I-pin threw one of the gyozaken at him and suddenly his hand twitched to the side.  His eyes widened in disbelieve when he realized that he was unable to control his own movements.

Tsuna put his hands up and shook his head.  “I think that’s enough training.”

Gokudera gasped and mumbled, “I’ve disappointed the tenth…!”

Seiko started to tell him that wasn’t it, but he quickly went to shoving the ramen in his mouth.  “Not enough!”  He shouted, “Let me give it a few more tries!”

He continued going at it, but on one of the blasts, he shoved his own head down into his burning hot ramen and screamed about it burning.  He leaned back up and corrected himself, “I did that on purpose!  Keep going, I-pin!  Shoot some more!”

Suddenly a bird flew into the classroom windo and I-pin let out a shriek of fear and began blasting her attack all over the place.  One hit Tsuna at the same time as Gokudera and Tsuna leaned over as Gokudera dumped his ramen all over him.  Poor Tsuna let out a scream of pain as Gokudera cried his name.

In the infirmary of the school Tsuna was sighing with relief now that he had burn cream all over his face.  Gokudera was on his hands and knees, apologizing over and over.

Tsuna shouted, “Let’s just stop the strengthening program already!  At this rate, I won’t last.”

“What are you guys up to?”

Seiko and Tsuna looked over as Yamamoto and Leona walked into the infirmary.  Yamamoto explained, “I saw that all of you guys came in here so I thought I’d see what was going on.”

Tsuna was all but crying.  “You’re a savior…!”  At this, Gokudera seemed to stiffen and a look of shock crossed his face.  Tsuna turned back to Reborn and said, “Let’s play another game now that Yamamoto’s here.”

“I guess it can’t be helped…”  Reborn muttered.

Seiko noticed that Gokudera weaseled his way out of the infirmary, trying not to be seen.  Seiko frowned, able to sense the sadness radiating off of him.  She made her way to the other side of the room and out.  But she was stopped before she got too far.

Hibari glared at her as he crossed the hallway and sharply demanded, “Why were you in the infirmary?”

Seiko smiled and waved him off. “It wasn’t for me, I promise.  But I’m kind of in a rush okay?  I’ll meet you at the gate as soon as school is out.”

“You’re skipping again…”  Hibari muttered, his expression frozen.  He wasn’t sure what to think of her blowing him off.  He didn’t like it.

“I’ll make up my homework!”  Seiko yelled, hurrying out and following the direction Gokudera headed.  It took a while, but she finally found him sitting on the swingset all by himself.  His grip was tight on the chains and he was just staring off into space.

Seiko inched up to him and asked, “Gokudera?  Are you okay?”

He gritted his teeth and muttered, “No.  I’m not.  The one tenth relies on is not me, but Yamamoto.  When I told my parents I wanted to join the Vongola family, I was told a piano-playing weakling wasn’t needed.  ‘You expect us to trust an oriental half-breed with the boss’ life?  Go look somewhere else!’ they said.”  He sighed and put a cigarette back in his mouth.  “Maybe I’m just better off alone.”

Seiko smiled and stepped forward, plucking the cigarette from his mouth.  She tossed it on the ground and put it out.  “Gokudera… you take everything at face value.  You’re disheartened easily because you care so much about the people around you.”

“I…”

“That’s not a bad quality but you should have more confidence in yourself.”  Seiko told him.  “Tsuna doesn’t rely more on Yamamoto or anyone else more than you.   Face it, he spends most of his time with you and he’s always talking about you.  He – “

“The tenth talks about me?”  He asked.

“Yeah.  Whenever we walk to school together, he’s always got another story about you.  Remember how concerned he was about your life during the ring battles?  You’re the one acting foolish you know.”

Gokudera suddenly shouted, “I’m so sorry, tenth!  I was wrong!”

Seiko giggled at his sudden enthusiasm.  He stood up and bowed to her and said, “Thank you, Seiko-chan.”  He teased and asked, “When did you grow up so much?”

Seiko’s gaze softened as she answered, “When I figured out what was important to me.”

He looked past her before smirking and taking off.  Seiko watched him run in the direction of TSuna’s house.  She realized that the sun was starting to set, which meant school was long over.  She picked up the cigarette butt and turned to throw it away in the trash can when she saw Hibari standing there.  “You get tired of waiting on me?”

He just kept standing there, glaring at her.

Seiko tipped her head.  “What’s wrong, Hibari-kun?”

“You were wasting time by cheering up that herbivore.”  Hibari growled, looking away.

Seiko arched her brows.  “Oh, you’re jealous.”

He gasped and then galred at her.  But his cheeks were the softest shad e of pink.  It made Seiko smile  and she leaned up on her toes and kissed his cheek.  “Can we go home now?”

“Now you’re in a hurry?”  Hibari growled, turning around.  She noticed that when he started walking through, he held his arm out slightly, in a kind of awkward way.  But she realized he was waiting for her to wrap her smaller limbs around his.  She hugged his arm, walking beside him as they headed home.

“Hiba-kun, will you make dinner when we get back?”

“Don’t push your luck.  You’re awfully demanding today.”

“Please!”

He sighed heavily.  “What do you want?”


End file.
